ISLAMABAD - A treasury member lawmaker in the Senate on Tuesday showed serious reservations over the decision of the government to allow operations of some international NGOs in selected and already developed parts of the country terming it a clear discrimination with the smaller federating units.
The senator also sought briefing from the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan over recent decisions of the government regarding regulating INGOs’ working.
Senator Usman Kakar of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) objected to the decision of the government that Save the Children, an international air group, would be allowed to operate in specific areas of the country excluding Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). He termed the decision a discrimination with the smaller provinces that needed more development opportunities.
“Either the government itself should take responsibility to develop smaller provinces or allow the donor agencies to work there,” he said adding, that interior minister should reply this answer.
He was of the view that if any INGO was involved in anti-state activities it should be banned in across Pakistan otherwise it should work throughout the country. He informed that Save the Children had taught thousands of children in Balochistan.
Separately, the government informed the house that it had formed a committee headed by Haseeb Athar that would look into the matter of regularisation of all contractual employees. It said that the decision had been taken in the light of Supreme Court directive.
Responding the call attention notice of ANP lawmaker Sitara Ayaz about non-regularisation of services of contractual teachers of federal government education institutions in garrison areas, State Minister of Water and Power Abid Sher Ali on behalf of defence minister told the house that government needed Rs 400 million per annum for the regularisation of these teachers. He said a committee had been formed under the supervision of Haseeb Athar to look into this matter.
Earlier, Sitara Ayaz deplored that these teachers had been doing their duties on contract basis for the last 20 years and on a low salary band of Rs 6,750 per month. She said this was inhuman.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Sheikh presenting the periodical report on the proposed laying off of 60,000 contract employees by the present government also said that the apex court had directed the government to review cases of contractual employees and a committee had been formed.
The lawmakers in the house showed their worries on the dismal performance of Pakistan hockey team in the qualifying round for next Olympics. Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq was the first who raised this issue. Minister for Inter- provincial Coordination Riaz Pirzada said the ministry had summoned the hockey team captain to question from him about the reasons and causes of miserable performance of team.
“Last minute selections are dubious,” he said, adding, that the ministry was holding inquiry and the prime minister would be appraised to harness the sports federations. He questioned the role of sports federations in Pakistan about national teams’ bad performance in different games. He said the government was determined to uplift sports in Pakistan.
MQM lawmaker Attique Ahmed, on a point of public concern, said the business community was worried about the government’ decision to levy 0.6 percent tax on every bank transaction. “This will cause damage to banking sector,” he said, adding, that matter should be referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance.
However, Ayesha Raza Farooq of PML-N was of the view that it was only for non-filers and up to 50,000 rupees transaction was exempted from this tax. Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan said that new tax was a burden on the poor class only. The chair remarked that they should wait for an expected meeting of finance minister and the government departments concerned.
Leader of the Opposition on a point of public importance alleged that a parliamentarian in connivance with Capital Development Authority (CDA) wanted to establish a housing society on 1400 acre land of National Agriculture Research Council (NARC). He said the NARC should be allowed to use the land for research purposes.
The house also unanimously passed two bills including the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Seed (Amendment) Bill, 2015.