ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Rehman Malik Tuesday informed the National Assembly that all necessary measures were being taken to curb the menace of target killings in Karachi. Responding to a point of order raised by MQM MNA Khushbakht Shujaat about increasing incidents of target killings in Karachi, he said that the Interior Ministry held a meeting with MQM and other political parties to check such kind of crimes in the city. Crime rate in Karachi is lesser than the other big cities of the world like New York and London, he said adding that mostly land grabbers and drug mafia were found involved in the criminal activities. Commenting on the loss of innocent lives during funeral procession of the notorious Rehman Dacoit in Karachi, the minister said that his ministry had sought a report from IG Sindh within two days in this regard. Speaking on another point of order by PML-Q MNA Sheikh Waqas, Rehman Malik said that there was no doubt that proscribed outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) had been involved in terrorist activities in the country. He also said that Sipah-e-Sahaba was involved in Gojra riots as its two activists orchestrated violence there. He said that all the provincial governments had already been directed to monitor the activities of the banned outfit. He said that as far as the Gojra tragedy was concerned, a High Court judge was investigating the matter, while the judicial commission had so far examined 300 witnesses. Rehman Malik said that he would look into the incident taken place in Jhang on July 21 in which the Sipah-e-Sahaba activists destroyed four petrol pumps, seven banks and nine buses besides burning the WAPDA offices. He said that provincial governments were supposed to monitor the activities of banned organisations and if any member of such organization violated the law, he could be sent to jail for three months to one year without trial. The Minister also informed the House that there were 29 proscribed groups in the country having links with terrorist organisations. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira responding to a calling attention notice in the National Assembly said the government could take action against those channels, which were telecasting Indian and foreign movies provided the House empowered it to do so. The minister said the government had given permission to the cable operators to show movies only on Computer Discs (CDs) but had not allowed airing of the Indian movies. Kaira said certain cable operators were given permission during the previous government to telecast foreign movies and dramas on CD channels. The permission given to the cable operators later became part of the policy and now they say they will move the court if the government issues them notices for telecasting foreign movies or CD channels he added. The minister said the government did not want to take action against the media channels airing foreign movies, but if the House empowered it, it would definitely take action to stop media from telecasting foreign films. He said that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was efficiently performing its duty, however, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was working to expand its purview to monitor the cable operators at the district level. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira asked the media to formulate its own code of conduct to follow. The government believes in freedom of media as it has played a great role in strengthening democracy in the country and formulating positive public opinion in war against terror, however the media should devise its own code of conduct which it should follow, he added. He said that the code of conduct for electronic media was yet to be devised and Pakistan Broadcasting Association had been asked to give its recommendations in this regard at the earliest. He suggested that the matter be sent either to the committee concerned or the House should allow the government to take action against such channels. Earlier, Bushra Rahman said that Indian movies were being telecast by certain private media channels as well as the cable operators. This not only promoted the Indian culture but was also spoiling the youth, she maintained. Responding to a calling attention notice, the Minister for Special Initiatives Lal Muhammad Khan informed the National Assembly that due to the apathy of provincial governments people were deprived of clean drinking water facility. He said that there were two projects, Clean Drinking Water Project for All (CDWA) and Clean Drinking Water Project Initiative (CDWI). Under the CDWA, installation of water filtration plants were planned in each district of the country, while under the CDWI the filtration plants were supposed to be installed in each Tehsil, he added. He said that two projects were initiated by the federal and the provincial governments and the federal government had released funds to the provinces but the provincial administrations had not executed the project properly, forcing the people to consume the un-filtered water. He said that the Sindh and NWFP governments were least interested in executing the said projects meant for providing drinking water to each and every citizen. He said that the government had allocated an amount of Rs 2,500 million in the financial year 2009-10 for the project out of which Rs 2,018.424 million had been released to provinces. The members expressed concerns over non-implementation of CDWA project by the provinces. Lal Khan suggested that the project should be taken back from the provinces and be given to the federal government for implementation. Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza asked the Minister for Water and Power, Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Minister for Petroleum to discuss the matter with Minister for Special Incentives and give their recommendations. She observed that it was matter of great concern for the National Assembly that two projects were not being implemented. She said that a committee comprising the parliamentary leaders would be formed after the recommendations of the Ministers to ensure implementation of the projects. Earlier Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza advised the members to study rules of the National Assembly to ensure uninterrupted proceedings of the House and avoid inconvenience of the members as well as the chair. She said this while replying to a suggestion of Pakistan Muslim League Chief Whip Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada that the Speaker should read two to three rules a day after recitation of the Holy Quran so that the members could learn how to act in the House to raise ones voice. MNA Khalid Mansoor introduced the bill to amend the Civil Servants Act, 1973 (The Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2009) (Amendment of Section 10). Elaborating the features of the bill, she said that women working in different government offices often faced inconvenience due to one or the other reason. Meanwhile, Yasmeen Rehman, Mir Munawar Ali Talpur, Sher Muhammad Baloch, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and Abdul Qadir Patel introduced a bill to extend certain facilities to disabled persons, (The Disability Concessions Card Bill, 2009). Yasmeen Rehman said that a special card should be issued to disabled persons to get facilities at bus stands, banks and other places. Minister for Social Welfare Samina Khalid Ghurki said that her Ministry was already working on issuing card to disabled persons. She suggested that the bill should be referred to concerned committee for further discussion. Begum Ishrat Ashraf, Tasneem Siddiqui, Shaikh Rohale Asghar and Muhammad Arshad Khan Leghari introduced a bill to amend the Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962 [the Banking Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2009] (Insertion of new sections 18A, 18B, 18C.etc). MNA Ishrat Ashraf said that there were a number of lacunas in the 1962 Ordinance to improve the banking system. She said that the amendment would help end problems of consumers besides simplifying the procedure of banks. Dr Attiya Inayatullah introduced a bill to amend the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 [The Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill, 2009]. While, a bill moved by PML-Q MNA Marvi Memon seeking amendment in Articles 175, 186A, 198 and 218 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was deferred as the Minister for Labour and Manpower, Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah responding to it said that a constitutional committee was already working to propose appropriate amendments in the constitution. Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Social Welfare and Special Education, Rubina Saadat Qaim Khani presented a report on the bill to enact a Charter for the promotion of an enabling environment that is free of violence, abuse and exploitation of Children [The Charter of Child rights Bill, 2009]. Speaking on a point of order, Member National Assembly and PPPs Central Information Secretary, Fauzia Wahab said that continuity in democratic process was imperative to attain progress and prosperity in the country. She said that some anchorpersons of private TV channels in their programmes were maligning political personalities by levelling baseless allegations of corruption on them, just to misguide the general public. If the democratic system is weakened or derailed, it would be a loss for all, she noted. AFP adds: Government on Tuesday demanded that Taliban commanders release a video to substantiate their claim that notorious warlord Baitullah Mehsud survived a US drone attack. When Hakimullah can talk to Baitullah, he can also bring his video tape to contradict my claims that the Taliban chieftain is dead, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters outside parliament. The outspoken interior minister said Mehsuds wife and guards were definitely killed in the drone attack. We have credible information that Mehsud is dead but we do not have confirmation in terms of material evidence, Malik said.