Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday said Pakistan had a long border of 905 kilometers with Iran, and Islamabad want to keep it peaceful and stable.

Responding to the points raised by the opposition members in the National Assembly, Qureshi said Pakistan had positively engaged with Iran to curb cross-border movement of militant elements.

He said there were certain elements, including regional spy agencies, which were bent upon hurting this relationship by creating misunderstandings through their nefarious acts. He, however, said these sordid designs would be foiled through collective efforts.

The minister said Pakistan had taken a number of steps to raise the level of understanding and confidence between the two neighbouring countries. “We have decided to establish a joint border centre as well as fence the border to curb the movement of militant elements.” He said the statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Iran was taken out of context. He said given the sensitivity involved, the opposition parties should not do politics on it.

About the new local government act in Punjab, the foreign minister said it was aimed at giving more powers and financial autonomy to the local governments to address the problems of the people at the grassroots level. On reforms in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Qureshi said the process of accountability must continue transparently. He said the people of the country wanted to see corrupt elements brought to justice.

He said the government was ready to sit with the opposition for bringing reforms in the NAB. He, however, recalled that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) failed to introduce reforms in the NAB in its five-year tenure.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister of Law Farogh Naseem informed the House that the government would introduce amendments to laws governing the NAB and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Replying to a point of order, the law minister said the government had held several meetings with the opposition leadership to reach a common ground over amendment to the NAB law. He said the opposition had given a long list for proposed amendments to the law. “We have no ego issues… the bill will be given final shape,” the minister said. He urged the opposition to strengthen the government for a strong Pakistan. Naseem disclosed that he and Qureshi frequently met the opposition members to discuss the issue.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan told the House that the government intended to privatise six state-owned entities. Speaking at the floor of the House during the question hour, the minister said that the government had planned to privatise two RLNG plants, two banks, the Jinnah Convention Centre and the Lakhra coal power project.

He said the government would also put up for sale its shares in Mari Petroleum. He said the government had sold its Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) shares during the PML-N government’s tenure. He informed the House that the government was not considering privatising the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), and added that it was a national asset like institutions such as the Pakistan Railways and Pakistan Post.

The minister said that the PSM was removed from the list of privatisation and the government was committed to reviving the institution to make it a profitable entity. The minister told the House that the Privatisation Commission successfully conducted five privatisation transactions during 2014-18, generating proceeds amounting to Rs 172.9 billion. Replying to another question, the minister said that an international-level research university would be constructed at the Prime Minister’s House as per the promise made by Imran Khan.

As the assembly resumed its session on Thursday, with Speaker Asad Qaiser in the chair, Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Development Kanwal Shauzab told the House during the question hour that 11 projects relating to water, energy and communication had been granted approval so far.

She said the projects would benefit the entire country, and added that the government was developing a policy for equitable development of less developed districts to bring them on a par with other developed districts. She further said that a special economic zone (SEZ) was being established at Rashakai under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

Farogh Naseem lay before the House seven bills, urging the members not to do politics on them as they were people-friendly bills. He said the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Bill would extend assistance to women and children involved in criminal cases.

He said the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Bill would ensure that women were not deprived of their property rights, and the women ombudsperson would take notice of such cases and deal with them as a civil suit. He said that under the Whistle-blower Protection and Vigilance Commission Bill, 2019, any person who shared information about alleged corrupt practices would be given a fixed percentage of the recovered amount as a reward. The chair referred the bills to the relevant standing committees. The House will now meet today (Friday) at 10:30 am.