PML-N refrains from anti-drone walkout

Contrary to its tirade against drone attacks in Pakistan, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday avoided taking part in the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) led walkout from the Senate to protest drone attacks.
Speaking on a point of order, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Moulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that drone strikes had started again on Pakistani soil contrary to the government and army announcements that they will defend Pakistani territory against them. The JUI-F senators along Jamaat-e-Islami parliamentarians staged token walkout from the house in protest. Responding to Haideri’s point of order, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the US government should care about the voice of the people of Pakistan. He said it was a direct hit by the US on Pakistani territory, which could not be accepted. Malik said the Senate should pass a resolution which will be presented in the UN to stop US aggression.
3G/4B mobile licenses a ‘scam’: PML-N senator Pervez Rasheed informed the house that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was poised to sell its 3G and 4G mobile phone licenses at a base price of $320 million US dollars what he termed ‘biggest scam’ in the country.
Speaking on a point of order, Senator Pervez Rasheed quoted an advertisement published in the press by PTAS which fixed the base price of 3 G, 4G and LTE mobile phone licenses/ spectrum to sell off the licenses at a lower price that 2G licenses. “PTA sold 2G licenses at the price of $290 million and it is strange the base price of the next technology has been fixed low than the previous one,” he questioned. He said the terms of the advertisement allowed successful bidders to introduce any technology that comes 4G too. Pervez Rasheed said India had sold out its 4G license for $24 billion.
A number of parliamentarians from both sides, including Haji Adeel Ahmed of ANP and JI Professor Khurshid Ahmed urged the chair to pass a ruling to stay the matter. Opposing other lawmakers, Haroon Akhtar said the Senate chair should not pass a stay since the government had already budgeted for the $800 million from license sales. Interior Minister Rehman Malik proposed that the house form a committee to probe the matter. However, the chair referred the matter to the standing committee concerned.
No new power surcharge: Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar told the Senate that the government will not impose any new surcharge on the consumers to pass on the interest of circular debt. Responding to points of order, the minister said Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were taking debts from banks to purchase fuel due to non payment of circular debt. Qamar assured the house that the government will give the amount to banks but it will not pay IPPs while the interest will not be passed to consumers. Responding to another point of order, Qamar said the government will discuss the matter with the KESC management since it had violating its promise to the government by terminating employees.
Earlier, Senators including Tahir Mashhadi, Raza Rabbani, Professor Khursheed Ahmed, Haji Adeel, Ilyas Bilor, Abdul Haseeb Khan, Ismail Buledi and Professor Ibrahim said that they will oppose any government move to transfer circular debt interest to consumers. They said the government should take notice of the KESC managements’ decision to terminate employees without reason. “The KESC management should be put on the ECL,” senators demanded.