Imran Khan
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PMs five foreign tours cost Rs 79m
* Minister tells NA Pakistan top in the world in eliminating drugs
* Pakistan Railways faced Rs 15.03 billion loss in 2007-08
By Tahir Niaz
ISLAMABAD: Five foreign tours by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani from March to August 2008 cost Rs 79,011,273, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the National Assembly in a written statement on Thursday.
About 266 people accompanied the prime minister during these visits, he said.
Eliminating drugs: Food and Agriculture Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal told the House during the Question Hour that the Anti-Narcotics Force had arrested 1,377 drug smugglers and seized 276,184 kilogrammes of drugs from them in the years 2005-06 and 2006-07. We are number one in the world in eliminating heroin and opium and third in hashish elimination, he said to a supplementary question in the National Assembly on behalf of the minister for narcotics control.
Education Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani told the House the Higher Education Commission would soon release funds for Sardar Bahadur Khan Womens University in Balochistan
He was responding to a call-attention notice by Asiya Nasir. The minister said delay in the release of funds had been caused by a fiscal crunch, but added that the administration of the university had not utilised Rs 25 million that it had.
A sum of Rs 70 million would be released for the university within the first quarter of the current fiscal year and Rs 4.42 million in the second quarter, he said. To another question, he said the government would appoint the chairman and members of the Higher Education Commission soon.
Pakistan Railways: Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour told the House in a written statement that Pakistan Railways faced a loss of Rs 15.03 billion during the 2007-08 fiscal year.
The income of the department was Rs 19.2 billion, he said, and the expenditure was Rs 34.3 billion. Railways Parliamentary Secretary Noman Islam Sheikh said Pakistan Railways gave a 50 percent concession to senior citizens in the economy class and 25 percent in all AC classes. The ministry would shortly complete the doubling of tracks, he said, adding that financial constraints hinder the pace of development work.
The ministry was considering a proposal to launch a mass transit system in Karachi to improve inter-city communications, he added.
Food Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal said the government expected the production of 3.5 million tonnes of refined sugar this season. Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Mir Humayun Aziz Kurd said his ministry had launched a five-year programme to enhance meat and milk production. Minister for Textile Industry Rana Muhammad Farooq Saeed Khan introduced the Cotton Standardisation (Amendment) Bill of 2008 in the House.
Responding to a call-attention notice by Syed Asif Hussain and others, Petroleum Adviser Dr Asim Hussain said an inquiry had been initiated into Wednesdays oil pipe burst in Karachi. He ruled out the possibility of sabotage and said the government would compensate the victims. Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza had earlier expressed concern over the incident and asked the Ministry of Environment to look into its affects on the population.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) legislator Waseem Akhtar also called for an inquiry.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Babar Awan said the government agreed with his demand. He said the impact of the incident on the environment and on human population should be brought on record.
The speaker suggested setting up complaint centres at district level for farmers to report shortage of fertilisers or being given prices lower than those set for their produce.
The food minister agreed to the proposal and said he would set up a committee consisting of representatives from the government, farmers and other stakeholders to work out the mechanism.
* Minister tells NA Pakistan top in the world in eliminating drugs
* Pakistan Railways faced Rs 15.03 billion loss in 2007-08
By Tahir Niaz
ISLAMABAD: Five foreign tours by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani from March to August 2008 cost Rs 79,011,273, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the National Assembly in a written statement on Thursday.
About 266 people accompanied the prime minister during these visits, he said.
Eliminating drugs: Food and Agriculture Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal told the House during the Question Hour that the Anti-Narcotics Force had arrested 1,377 drug smugglers and seized 276,184 kilogrammes of drugs from them in the years 2005-06 and 2006-07. We are number one in the world in eliminating heroin and opium and third in hashish elimination, he said to a supplementary question in the National Assembly on behalf of the minister for narcotics control.
Education Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani told the House the Higher Education Commission would soon release funds for Sardar Bahadur Khan Womens University in Balochistan
He was responding to a call-attention notice by Asiya Nasir. The minister said delay in the release of funds had been caused by a fiscal crunch, but added that the administration of the university had not utilised Rs 25 million that it had.
A sum of Rs 70 million would be released for the university within the first quarter of the current fiscal year and Rs 4.42 million in the second quarter, he said. To another question, he said the government would appoint the chairman and members of the Higher Education Commission soon.
Pakistan Railways: Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour told the House in a written statement that Pakistan Railways faced a loss of Rs 15.03 billion during the 2007-08 fiscal year.
The income of the department was Rs 19.2 billion, he said, and the expenditure was Rs 34.3 billion. Railways Parliamentary Secretary Noman Islam Sheikh said Pakistan Railways gave a 50 percent concession to senior citizens in the economy class and 25 percent in all AC classes. The ministry would shortly complete the doubling of tracks, he said, adding that financial constraints hinder the pace of development work.
The ministry was considering a proposal to launch a mass transit system in Karachi to improve inter-city communications, he added.
Food Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal said the government expected the production of 3.5 million tonnes of refined sugar this season. Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Mir Humayun Aziz Kurd said his ministry had launched a five-year programme to enhance meat and milk production. Minister for Textile Industry Rana Muhammad Farooq Saeed Khan introduced the Cotton Standardisation (Amendment) Bill of 2008 in the House.
Responding to a call-attention notice by Syed Asif Hussain and others, Petroleum Adviser Dr Asim Hussain said an inquiry had been initiated into Wednesdays oil pipe burst in Karachi. He ruled out the possibility of sabotage and said the government would compensate the victims. Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza had earlier expressed concern over the incident and asked the Ministry of Environment to look into its affects on the population.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) legislator Waseem Akhtar also called for an inquiry.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Babar Awan said the government agreed with his demand. He said the impact of the incident on the environment and on human population should be brought on record.
The speaker suggested setting up complaint centres at district level for farmers to report shortage of fertilisers or being given prices lower than those set for their produce.
The food minister agreed to the proposal and said he would set up a committee consisting of representatives from the government, farmers and other stakeholders to work out the mechanism.
