Islamabad, Dec. 12 (TNS): Information Minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry has said it is the first time in the country’s history that fair, transparent and across-the-board accountability is being carried out.
Responding to the points of former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the National Assembly on the arrest of PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique, he said the opposition is not doing any favor to the system by trying to make the accountability process controversial.
He said NAB is an independent institution and it is working sans any influence. He said the courts and the NAB should be allowed to perform their duties as per their mandate.
Fawad Chaudhry said the people want accountability of the corrupt elements and the PTI government will move forward as per their expectations.
He also made it clear that the government will not interfere in the accountability process initiated by National Accountability Bureau and other institutions against the corrupt elements.
About bringing improvement in the NAB laws, the Information Minister said a task force headed by the law Minister has been constituted and it has also held sittings with the opposition on the matter.
Earlier, Opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PPP Leader Naveed Qamar asked the chair to issue production order of Khawaja Saad Rafique.
During question Hour, National Assembly was informed today that no electricity load-shedding is being carried out in the country as there is no shortfall. Minister for Power Omar Ayub Khan told the house during question hour that the renewable energy policy will be unveiled by March next year.
He said several technical studies are also underway to increase the integration of wind and solar energy.
The Minister said twenty one power generation projects based on indigenous Thar coal and hydro are under process to produce affordable electricity in the country. These projects will help generate eleven thousand megawatt of electricity.
He said task forces have been established in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to check electricity theft.
He said we are also installing Aerial Bundled Cables in high loss areas to avoid direct hooking in electricity wires.
Omar Ayub clarified that low and middle income groups have been protected against the recent hike in power prices. He said we also have maintained power subsidy on agriculture tube wells.
Taking the floor, Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood asked the opposition not to use Parliament as a shield for protection of corruption.
He said the PML-N and PPP did not amend the NAB laws in the past to protect themselves from accountability. He said the House should pass a resolution that whosoever looted the nation will not be spared.
Minister of State for Communication Murad Saeed said audit of a number of road infrastructure projects has been carried out and those who did corruption in these projects will be exposed.
He said we have already recovered 460 million rupees in one project.
Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister of State for Communications Murad Saeed said Gojra-Shorkot and Abdul Hakeem-Lahore motorway sections will be opened for traffic in the next two weeks.
He said Multan-Sukkur section of motorway will be completed before time while we are also planning to start construction work on Sukkur-Hyderabad section on BOT basis.
The House will now meet again at 11 am on Thursday.
