Tag: islamabad

  Members of National Assembly on both the treasury and opposition benches have expressed reservations over low salaries and have demanded that their wages be set equal to judges of the Supreme Court or the provincial assembly members of Balochistan. During Question Hour, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal, while replying to question of Shahida Rehmani, said he knows salaries of parliamentarians are low and that they are ready to increase them if the speaker issue directions in this regard. The Speaker said that he was ready to do so if the Finance Ministry asked the National Assembly Secretariat. Maulana Meer Zaman said that his salary is Rs 17,000 and after factoring in all the allowances, he gets Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 which is not enough to make ends meet. Giving details of his expenditures, he said that he pays Rs 10,000 as rent of Parliament Lodges and Rs 10,000 as gas and electricity bills. He said that grade 16 employees get higher pay than parliamentarians and demanded wages equal to the salary of Balochistan Members of Provincial Assemblies. IMPLEMENTING NAP: Meanwhile, the National Assembly was informed that operation against terrorism is going on across the country under the National Action Plan (NAP). Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Maryam Aurangzeb informed the House during Question Hour that a number of terrorists have been arrested in Punjab during the operation. She said that combing operation, Madrasa registration and action against hate speech and material are being taken throughout the country. The parliamentary secretary said that the steps of the government to control incidents of terrorism in Karachi had resulted in significant reduction in incidents of terrorism. To a question, she said a total of 251,624 Pakistani nationals have been repatriated to Pakistan from abroad during the tenure of the present government since June 1, 2013 to February this year. Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan told the House that total external debt of the country stands at $53.4 billion dollars. He said that when the incumbent government took over, the debt stood at $48.1 billion and that there had been an increase of $5.3 billion during this period. Rana Afzal said that through prudent policies, the government had succeeded in reducing fiscal deficit from 8.4 per cent to 5.5 per cent and that it will be reduced further to 5.1 per cent this year. ISLAMABAD SAFE CITY PROJECT: Replying to a question Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told the House that Safe City Project Islamabad is being implemented at a cost of over $124 million. He said that exit and entry points are being monitored under this project. He said that 1,800 CCTV cameras have been installed in the federal capital under the project. He said the project is at trial stage and will be formally inaugurated next month. Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Syed Saqlain Bukhari told the House that under CPEC three kinds of projects including energy, road and railways infrastructure and development of Gwadar are being implemented. He clarified that Orange Line Metro Train project in Lahore is not part of CPEC. He said that the Punjab government is implementing this project through bank loans. Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Asiya Naz Tanoli and others regarding dilapidated condition of the IJP Road from Faizabad to Pirwadhai, Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Maryam Aurangzeb said the road will be completely repaired soon. LEGISLATION: The House adopted a resolution extending the Private Powers and Infrastructure Board (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015 for a further period of 120 days. The National Assembly on Thursday passed four bills including "The Corporate Restructuring Bill, 2015", "The Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finances) (Amendment) Bill, 2015", "The Deposit Protection Corporation Bill, 2015" and "The Financial Institutions (Secured Transaction) Bill, 2016". The House will be in session again today (Friday) at 10:30AM.

Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov arrived in Islamabad this morning on a two-day official visit to Pakistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif warmly welcomed the distinguished guest...

Citizens will have to play due role in individual and collective capacity to ensure safe and moral environment for the future generations based on...

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered re-election in the NA-267 case and upheld the tribunal verdict. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)'s Khalid Magsi's victory was challenged by...

Funeral of former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer's killer was offered on Tuesday in Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi. Mumtaz Qadri was executed on Monday for assassinating Punjab’s Governer...

All private educational institutes Tuesday were closed in the federal capital due to security threats feared in the backdrop of Mumtaz Qadri's hanging on...

Iran President Hassan Rouhani is set to visit Pakistan by the end of this month to push for the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project. The...

Metro closed, exams cancelled, attendance in offices low Faizabad, Naseerabad, Bara Kaho, all entry points sealed, police deployed Following the execution of Mumtaz Qadri early on...

The federal government has decided to crack down on members of proscribed organizations and human trafficking syndicates by canceling their travel documents, national identities...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants a “mutually respectful relationship” with Pakistan, his government’s policy paper said the other day. The policy paper was read out...

PM Sharif hails project as a symbol of growing partnership between Islamabad, Beijing China will extend all-out cooperation to help Pakistan overcome the ongoing energy...

Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators. Buddha-esque Misbah-ul-Haq v restless Sarfraz Ahmed. Eccentric Dean Jones v street-smart Moin Khan. Strategic Wasim Akram against emotional Viv...

Opener Sharjeel Khan scored a blistering 117 and spinner Imran Khalid returned figures 3-0-20-4 as Islamabad United comprehensively beat Peshawar Zalmi by 50 runs...

  Ambassador of South Korea Dr Song Jong-Hwan said that Korea would establish one of the biggest and most advanced IT Parks in Islamabad at...

Govt took loans of Rs 4.6tr in two and a half years, says Khurshid Shah Opposition members demand reduction in oil prices Leader of the Opposition...

Islamabad Serena Hotel welcomes Chef Issa El Arab; the new Chef De Cuisine of Al-Maghreb, the capital's most authentic restaurant serving Lebanese and Mediterranean...

Saeed Ajmal, playing only his second competitive match since November 2015, struck with his first ball and then produced a double-strike in his last...