The opposition severely criticised the government in the National Assembly on Thursday over a countrywide 12-day strike by transporters, saying that it had caused a loss of billions of rupees to the economy.
On a point of order, Abdul Rashid Godal said the government had failed to take notice of the transporters’ strike for almost two weeks. He said the country had been made hostage by the trawlers mafia.
Minister for Religious Affairs Khursheed Shah replied that the prime minister had taken due notice of the strike and it had been called off.
Speaking on a point of order, PML-N Chief Whip Sheikh Aftab apprised the House that in several areas, the SNGPL had left gas supply projects incomplete and if they were further delayed, a large amount of money spent on the completed portion would go waste. He said a sub-committee had been formed on the subject that had raised the issue with the SNGPL authorities time and again in the last eight months but they were somehow prolonging it due to unknown reasons.
Responding to the point of order, Shah said 70,000 new gas connections had been given in the tenure of the current government. He said Punjab had been given priority in this regard, keeping in view its growing requirements. The minister said Rs 5 billion had been given to the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) for procurement of gas metres, adding that 400,000 metres had already been purchased.
Jamshed Dasti said gas supply was prioritised in accordance with political influence and criticised the ministry concerned for not taking any action against corrupt officers in the departments. To a calling attention notice by Khawaja Asif, Shah said a committee headed by Law Minister Farooq Naik had been formed to probe into the revelations made by the National Accountability Bureau about the daily corruption of Rs 6 to 8 billion. He said the committee would hold its first meeting on Monday and all stakeholders, including the NAB chairman and anti-corruption officers had been invited to attend this meeting. He called upon political parties to wage jihad against corruption. The opposition members also alleged that around 300 illegal appointments had been made in the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, demanding action against the management for violating the rules.
Speaking on a point of order, PML-N MNA Javed Murtaza Abbasi said the PTDC authorities had sacked the representatives of the elected union when they raised voice against the recruitments.
Abbasi said around 70 people have been appointed in the two-room PTDC Information Centres in Thatha and Mohenjodaro. He alleged that all such recruitments had been made at the time when the ministry was being devolved to provinces under 18th amendment.
