Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad told the Senate on Friday that the construction of new Benazir Bhutto International Airport (NBBIA) was in its advance stages.
He said overall physical progress of the project was 71 percent while the progress of passenger terminal building is 69 percent. He said the government has formulated a steering committee to monitor the timeline set for completion. He said capital outlay on the project is Rs 36.57 billion. He said 3,289 acres of land has already been acquired for the new airport while land of 1,721 acres was yet to be acquired for other airport services.
To a question‚ he said three companies have applied for regular public transport licenses including vision Air‚ Air Pakistan and Fly Pakistan Air. He said Cargo operation was being conducted under Open Sky Policy for the designated airlines of the partner countries.
Moreover, the Senate was informed Friday that income of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority during 2012-13 was Rs 9.27 billion against the expenditures of Rs 702 million.
Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch told the House during question hour that PTA charges initial license/spectrum fee‚ spectrum administration fee and radio based license fee from various operators including mobile companies. Such fees charged during last five years amounted to Rs 50 billion.
Members of opposition held a token walkout from the House against unsatisfactory replies submitted by the ministers.
Moreover, the Senate chairman referred a privileged motion to the relevant committee against a statement of FO spokesperson whose language was disrespectful to the Parliament and Senate. The motion was moved by Mian Raza Rabbani.
Earlier, speaking on a point of order, leader of the opposition Chaudhary Aitzaz Ahsan said that male and female senators were also residing in Parliament Lodges and there was a complete family like environment. He said the allegation leveled by a member of national assembly was a baseless and untrue.
Meanwhile, Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Chairman Muhammad Talha Mehmood laid report of the committee for the period from July 4 2012 to March 19, 2013 in the House.
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