ISLAMABAD - Senate Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs on Monday expressed its reservation over the closure of regular, container liner KGS service at Gwadar port.  

The issues were referred by the Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani for resolution to boost the trade potential of sea port of national significance. The Senate body on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs meeting was chaired by Chairman, Committee Senator Faroooq hamid Naek in Parliament House. The committee also called the Federal Minister of Port and Shipping and Maritime Affairs to brief the committee on this issue and further explore the way farward. In his briefing, Member Customs Operation, Dr Jawad Agha informed the committee that there was some problem in connectivity of Optical fiber, which halted the regular container liner KGS service at Gawaddar port. He said that Pakistan customs had provided the facilities for rolling of WeBoC at Gwaddar port, where all the prerequisite and formalities for WeBoc have been completed. He said that with the coordination of Gwaddar Port Authority and Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs the matter would be resolved.

Senator Musadiq Malik said that this issue is not from FBR rather it is from Commercial enterprises. Committee recommended calling secretary maritime affairs in the next meeting to loop up it on with detail. In the meeting, Maternity and Paternity leave bill 2018 by Senator Qurat ul Ann Marri, province wise details of Ministry of finance and its sub ordinate departments working under it by Senator Mir Kabir Ahmed, public petition by Muhammad Irfan regarding making a simple and understandable procedure for a government employee to become a filer and matter regarding decision for closure of regular container liner KGS service and Gawadar port were discussed.

Senator Qurat ul Ann Marri briefed the committee about her bill , but Senator Musadiq was of the view that there are some contradictions in the bill and things need to be made clear. In Bill, it is requested that at the first 3 children birth, parents will get paid leave but not at the birth of 4th one, Nevertheless, it is discriminatory behavior with the 4th one. Furthermore, Senator Anwar ul haq Kakar said that with increasing span of leave one will not get salary which is out of question. On the birth of child, one needs money too. Special secretary finance told them that on paternity leave, one gets 48 leaves with pay annually, one can avail from them. Chairman committee recommended that Ministry of law and Ministry of finance should prepare another draft of this bill within 15 days in the supervision and collaboration of Senator Qurat ul Ann Marri and Senator Dr Musadiq Malik.

Regarding province wise details of Ministry of finance and its sub ordinate departments working under it, Senator Mir Kabir Ahmed said according to the documents provided, appointments according to provincial quota are different in the Ministry of Finance and its sub ordinate departments. No officer is ever recruited on higher posts from Baluchistan and in different departments posts are vacant. Chairman committee recommended it would be better to call Advisor to Ministry of Finance and Secretary Establishment division in the next meeting to look up this matter in detail. Senator Musadiq Malik recommended providing other provinces details quota wise as well in next meeting.

Muhammad Irfan’s public petition was also discussed in detail. FBR officials told the committee that they are working on the project of making procedure easy for government employees to make them filers and will complete it in a week. Chairman committee recommended that FBR officials get this work done in next week and give presentation before the committee.

The meeting was chaired by Farooq H. Naeeq and was attended by Senator Mushahid Ullah khan, Musadiq malik, Mohsin Aziz, Anwar ul Haq Kakar, Qurat ul Ann Marri and Mir Kabir Ahmed, special secretary Finance Division Umar Hamid khan, Member custom operation FBR Dr. Jawad Agha, Chairman ECP Amir khan, Executive vice president NBP and others senior officials.