ISLAMABAD Dec 14 (TNS): Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch has said that the government is committed to introduce FATA Reforms Bill in the National Assembly.
Responding to a point of order in the Lower House on Thursday, the Minister said that the cabinet has already approved the bill.
He said that the FATA Reforms committee has made 25 recommendations, including extending jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the high court.
Abdul Qadir pointed out that due to some technical reasons the government has withheld the bill but hopefully it will be tabled in the House in one or two days, after a meeting of the Prime Minister with parliamentary party leaders tomorrow.
Speaking on the point of order, Opposition Leader Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah said that ninety five percent population of FATA is eager to become part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that government should follow its own constitution instead of any other act or agreement of the British era.
Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah said that the people of FATA should be given their due right as per other citizens of the country.
Later the Opposition staged walked out from the National Assembly for not placing FATA Reforms Bill on House’s agenda fixed for today.
On another point of order, Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan assured the House that no proposal is under consideration to reduce import duty on maize.
He said that the government will not take any step to harm interests of growers of maize and sugarcane.
Meanwhile responding to a calling attention notice regarding rapid increase in the prices of fertilizers the Minister for National Food Security informed the House that sufficient stocks of urea are available in the country.
The Minister said that demand of urea fertilizer is 3.075 million tons, while a stock of 3.465 is available in the country.
The Minister said that the government is considering withdrawing all kinds of taxes on the fertilizer sector.
Minister of State for Petroleum Jam Kamal said that the petroleum prices are structured according to the international market.
Responding to a calling attention notice regarding to recent increase in the prices of petroleum products, he said that petrol prices in Pakistan are still lowest in the South Asia.
The Minister of State said that the government has always passed on maximum benefit to the public when petroleum prices decreased in the international market.
The House today passed two bills. These are “The Women in Distress and Detention Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017” and “The Rulers of Acceding States (Abolition of Privy Purses and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill, 2017”.
The House has been adjourned to meet again tomorrow at 10:30 in the morning.
