Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Upper House has been told that tea worth $1 billion was imported from 45 countries, including India, during the last three years.

This was disclosed following a question from Senator Dawood Khan Achakzai on Tuesday. The Senate was informed that a major chunk of the tea was imported from Kenya.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad told the Senate that Roosevelt Hotel in New York was purchased for $36 million in 1999. He said that a US firm assessed its value to be $363 million.

However, Senator Azam Hoti said that its price at present was more than $1 billion. “What steps have been taken to steer this hotel out of financial loss?”

To this, the federal minister said that steps were being taken on that front.

To questions from senators Ahmad Hassan and Ilyas Bilour, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir said that the minerals department had been devolved to provinces following the 18th Constitutional Amendment. He said that investors from FATA would continue to get facilities in the export of minerals.

State Minister for CADD Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that appointments were being made against the vacant posts in PIMS, “appointments on the posts of above-BS-16 officials will be made through the testing agency”.

Khurram Dastgir told the Senate that Pakistan would export rice to Russia for the first time. “Pakistani traders have visited Russia in this regard. A delegation of rice exports association has already visited Iran to enhance export of the commodity. Rice exporters from Iran have also visited Pakistan. Agreements will be executed with Iran for rice export following the lifting of international sanctions on Iran,” he said. The minister also informed the Upper House that a bill would be tabled in the House for enactment of legislation to introduce Pakistani basmati rice in the international market.

Dr Tariq Fazal told the Senate that state-of-the-art facilities were available at hospitals in Islamabad for the treatment of AIDS/HIV and other epidemics. He said that a liver transplantation centre was being set up once again at PIMS. “Polyclinic Hospital is being expanded. Hospitals in the capital are also providing treatment to patients suffering from brain haemorrhage.”

Khurram Dastgir told the Senate that the government had no statistics about illegal trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Trade volume has grown between Pakistan and Afghanistan during the last two years, he said.

The minister for CADD told the Senate that no plot had been allotted to CDA employees during the last three years.

He said that the air conditioner installed at PIMS had completed its age, and that a summary was sent to install a new air conditioner therein. He also said that a project for the construction of a hospital by Bahrain was being worked out in collaboration with the Islamabad Capital Territory and the Ministry of Interior.

The commerce minister said that exports to EU had been increased after the GSP Plus agreement.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Sheikh Aftab told the House that the new Islamabad airport would become fully functional by June next year.