ISLAMABAD: The upper house of the parliament on Thursday looked indecisive over tabling a special report of a standing committee on privatisation of the Heavy Electrical Complex (HEC). Opposition senators staged a walk out against the indecision. Senate Deputy Chairman Abdul Ghafoor Haidri first asked Chairman of Finance Committee Saleem Mandviwalla to table the report, but the ruling party members opposed this decision. As a result, Haidri said the report would not be tabled. PML-N Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq told the house that she was a member of the Senate sub-committee, which was given the task to probe the HEC privatisation. She said the findings of the sub-committee were not presented to the Senate Committee on Finance; therefore, they should not be tabled in the House. PPP Senator Farooq H Naek told the deputy chairman of the Senate that according to the rules the report had already been tabled. If someone has any reservations about it, he said, he could discuss it through a motion. PPP Senator Saeed Ghani insisted that a copy of the report should be distributed to House members after presenting it to the House, but Haidri said that its copy would be distributed on Monday. A PPP senator told Daily Times that the sub-committee (enquiry committee) found serious anomalies in the privatisation of the HEC and referred the matter to the NAB and the FIA. The report said the Privatisation Commission (PC) was responsible for wilful and criminal negligence in the HEC privatisation. Commenting on the report, Senate Standing Committee on Finance Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla said the committee could not stop its working due to a member absence. The opposition senators staged a walk out when they were not given the copy of the sub-committee’s report. They decided that the matter would be discussed in detail on Monday. The Senate passed the Pakistan Baitul Mal (Amendment) Bill 2016 unanimously, which was moved by Minister of State Aftab Sheikh. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill 2016 moved by Minister of State for Health Saira Afzal Tarar was referred to the Standing Committee. Minister of State Jam Kamal Khan moved the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Bill 2016, which was referred to the Standing Committee concerned. Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division informed the house that the CDA revoked the NOC issued to the National Police Foundation Islamabad over violation of rules and layout plan. Responding to a calling attention notice by Azam Khan Swati, he said that management of the housing scheme indulged in China cutting of plots. Earlier, during the question-hour, the House was informed that the country had a marginal storage capacity of 14 million acre feet (MAF) of water out of the annually available 137 MAF. Minister of State Jam Kamal Khan said it constituted just 10% of the total water against the minimum threshold set by international experts as 30%. He said there would be an acute shortage of water for irrigation in the country if new dams were constructed. He said the storage capacity of existing dams was decreasing gradually due to sedimentation. To a question, the minister said the Neelum-Jhelum project was expected to complete in August next year. Minister of State for Religious Affairs Pir Aminul Hasnat informed the house that quota of private tour operators had been reduced by ten percent that in the new Hajj Policy. The government had taken a number of measures to safeguard the interests of those going to Hajj through private tour operators. Minister of State for Health Saira Afzal Tarar told the house that Prime Minister’s Fee Reimbursement Programme was being successfully implemented throughout the country, including in Balochistan. Responding to a calling attention notice by Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmad, she said that allocations for the programme had been increased from Rs500 million to Rs1.8 billion and its coverage extended from 52 to 114 districts of the country. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed moved a motion to discuss the issue of Panama Papers. The discussion would start today (Friday) when the house reassembles at10.30am.