- Minister says ECO train to be restored after improvement of infrastructure in Turkey
- No long term contract signed with Qatar for import of LNG
- Country to save $1 billion annual by importing LNG, says Khaqan Abbasi
The Senate was informed on Tuesday that Pakistan Railways is ready to restore the ECO train service but the delay is due to some infrastructure improvement works under execution near Istanbul, Turkey.
He said the matter is vigorously being pursued with Turkish authorities.
Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq told the House during question hour that a tripartite meeting between concerned officials of Pakistan, Iran and Turkey has also been proposed to be held in Islamabad, to expedite the revival of ECO train.
The minister said that as soon as Afghanistan starts work on the Spin Boldak to Kandahar railway line project in their territory, Pakistan Railway will also initiate execution of the project.
The railways minister expressed confidence that Pakistan Railway will earn Rs 38 billion this year against the target of Rs 32 billion.
Khawaja Saad Rafiq told the House that there are a total of 17 schools were established by Pakistan Railways in the country. He said Pakistan Railways has no plan to open new schools, as it is not the business of Pakistan Railways to run the schools. However, it is focusing on upgrading existing schools.
Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid informed the House that recruitment against 2,160 vacant posts for the Punjab Rangers are in the process and will be completed during this month. He assured that provincial quota will be strictly observed during recruitment.
The information minister told the House that the Ministry of Interior has introduced a new International NGOs registration policy for regulating INGOs in the future. He said until the new registration policy executed the organisations have been stopped from working.
Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that no long-term contract has yet been signed for import of LNG from Qatar.
The minister said that LNG is the cheapest fuel and the country will save about USD 1 billion per annum by using imported LNG. He said that LNG will be used in power plants and in the fertiliser sector. He said LNG is a much more efficient fuel than furnace oil. Furnace oil efficiency is 35 per cent while LNG efficiency is 62 per cent.
He said it is the achievement of the government that it was able to import LNG within twenty months of resuming power. He said the country is presently producing four billion cubic feet of gas and its demand is eight billion cubic feet.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi assured that the LNG terminal will be used to its full capacity.
Earlier, Saeed Ghani, Ilyas Bilour, Mohsin Aziz, Azam Swati and Tahir Hussain Mashhadi took part in the discussion and criticised the government for not revealing the import price of LNG. They said the matter is very serious and the government should take it seriously.
Replying to a call attention notice moved by Azam Khan Swati regarding an unusual banking practice in Pakistan, which allows a local bank to hold foreign funds for twenty one days even after the funds have been transferred, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said there is no provision for banks to hold foreign funds for 21 days.
The minister said it takes 24 hours if the money is transferred from the same bank to any of its branches in Pakistan, while it takes three days if the money is sent from one bank to another.
Typical of noon league tactics. The minister should speak about the pathetic state of Pakistan Railways. This man doesn’t have the faintest idea. All he does is to live in the servant quarters of Prime Minister House along with Khawaja Asif and Talal Chaudhery.
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