Islamabad - The National Assembly Thursday saw strong criticism on exhibition of Indian moves in Pakistani cinemas and immoral advertisements on different TV channels.
Jamaat-i-Islami(JI) lawmaker Aesha Syed, on point of order, said TV programmes could not be watched with family as they are filled with immoral content. "Vulgar contents should not be aired on TV channels," she added.
PTI lawmaker Ali Mohammad also criticised the screening of Indian movies in local cinemas and questioned who allowed it and if it is legally permitted then why they are not being censored.
Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, in response to the concerns, admitted that still there was no law to interrupt (cut) the transmission of channels. "There is need to deliberate this matter," he added.
The House was also informed that parliamentarians’ tax directory would be put on website of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) by February 28 (Friday). Taking the credit, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, on point of order, said the publication of parliamentarians’ tax directory was the greatest achievement as now Pakistan is now the fourth such country in the world.
Dar informed that this tax directory has details of tax contributed by a lawmaker as the partner of a business or member of an Association of Persons (AOP). "I had promised to publish the directory of 1,172 parliamentarians by Jan 31, 2014; the promise has been fulfilled," Dar said. About the directory, he said it contained three kinds of details including name of tax-payer, NTN number and the tax paid.
However, he informed the National Tax Number has so far been issued to 99 percent parliamentarians. He said the remaining lawmakers would be issued NTN very soon. Dar further informed that incumbent government has also decided to publish the directory of country's up to 900,000 tax-payers, which will be completed in next couple of months. He said chairman of National Assembly's Standing Committee on Finance would be elected next week.
Responding to a call attention notice about highest infant mortality rate in Pakistan, Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanvir informed that government is taking all possible measures to reduce infant mortality rate in the country. Primary healthcare‚ vaccination and community midwife workers programs have helped reduce the mortality rate among the infants, he added.
National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (Amendment) Bill 2013, moved by Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, was also passed in the House, which will pave the way for chief justice of Islamabad High Court to become member of this judicial committee.
Earlier, MQM lawmaker Mehboob Azam paid tribute to armed forces for defence and upholding sovereignty of the country. The house, during the question-hour, was informed a special package of 16 billion rupees has been given to the PIA which is being used for the repair of non-operational aircraft.