ISLAMABAD - Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq on Monday rejected the notion that Pakistan has changed its policy towards Syria.
“This a totally a speculation. There has been no shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy about Syria,” Raja Zafarul Haq assured the Upper House in response to the concerns raised by PPP parliamentary Mian Raza Rabbani on a point of order.
He also assured the PPP parliamentary leader that he would convey his suggestion to the Prime Minister for convening an in-camera joint sitting of the parliament to discuss the government and TTP peace talks.
The House also discussed the cyber crimes and their prevention through a commenced motion moved by Senator Karim Ahmed Khawaja. Several members of the House including Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Talha Mehmood, Farhatullah Babar and Aitzaz Ahsan emphasized the need for a proper law to control cyber crimes.
Winding up discussion on the motion, Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Baligh-ur-Rehman said the bill to prevent cyber crimes had been finalized and would soon be presented before the cabinet for formal approval.
Speaking over a motion moved by Senator Karim Ahmed Khawaja to discuss the increasing incidents of cyber crimes in the country and steps being taken by the government to control the same, the minister said the government had also worked to curb the problem of grey trafficking of international calls.
“In year 2013, millions of rupees of tax aversion was prevented through concrete efforts of the government regarding controlling grey trafficking,” he mentioned.
Baligh-ur-Rehman said that once the bill to control cyber crimes was enacted, the situation would improve further.
He reiterated that the government was sincere in formulating the law saying that the law about cyber crimes was lapsed in year 2009, during the tenure of previous government.
He further said the firewall installed at NADRA Database was very effective and could not be hacked.
Leader of the House Raja Zafar-ul-Haq said there was a dire need to give more attention to the issue of cyber crimes, as it was now a matter of survival of the country.
He said in a reign of technological advancement, Pakistan was far behind the world in the field of science.
There was a need to prepare more and more youth in this field as cyber had become a matter of security for the country, Raja Zafar-ul-Haq added.
Meanwhile, Chairman Standing Committee on Defence Mushshid  Hussain Sayed and members of the committee called for enhancing financial support to the Pakistan Navy for its excellent contribution in Balochistan.
The Committee, which undertook a visit to Makran coast as well as Gwadar port, also called for connecting the harbour with the national highway network without further delay.
Senator Farhatullah Babar, who was also member of the committee asked the Army, the Frontier Corps and Coastal Guards in Balochistan to take a leaf from Pakistan Navy in learning how to win the hearts and minds of the people instead of behaving like an occupation force as is the general sentiments about them in the province.
Taking part in the discussion on the visit of the Senate defence committee to Makran coast, he said that the launching of public welfare projects of schools, hospitals and water supply schemes by the Pakistan Navy from within its own meager resources was spirit lifting and an eye opener.
The House also admitted Anti-Honour Killing Laws (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill-2014 moved by Syed Sughra Imam provides to amend the Pakistan Penal Code‚ 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure‚ 1898.    
Earlier‚ both the Houses paid glowing tributes to the martyrs in the incidents of terrorism in the country including killings of 23 FC personnel and unanimously passed a condolence resolution to pay homage to former Senator and renowned journalist Syed Fasih Iqbal and others. 
Raja Zafar-ul-Haq said Fasih Iqbal was such a patriot who always kept national interest on priority.
Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo praised Fasih as the pioneer of journalism in Balochistan. The house was adjourned till Tuesday.