PML-N MNA suggests NA rightsizing

ISLAMABAD - Terming the investigation officer of the National Insurance Corporation Limited case a non-impartial, the parliamentarians of PML-Q on Thursday demanded of the government to change the investigation officer. Speaking at the floor of the National Assembly, Shehnaz Shiekh of PML-Q said that Ch Pervaiz Elahi as Chief Minister Punjab had made one of his brothers OSD while the party leadership also refused to give party ticket to one of his brothers. We were ready for investigation, but the Interior Minister should change the investigation officer, she added. She said that on one side the government talking about reconciliation while on the other side its officers registered a case against the leadership of a political party. We would not allow such kind of victimisation. Earlier, Hamesh Khan was brought back to Pakistan just to proof Chaudhry brothers involvement in the corruption but all in vain and now a political opponent had been appointed as investigation officer against Moonis Elahi, she said. Similarly, Dr Atya Anayatullah of PML-Q also expressed concerns on handing over the investigation of NICL case to Zafar Ahmad Qureshi, and urged the Interior Minister to change the investigation officer. Quoting her leadership, she said that the allegations on Moonis were baseless and his manager was tortured to get statement against the son of Pervaiz Elahi. She also congratulated Speaker National Assembly for raising Kashmir Issue during the OIC Parliament Speakers meeting. Later, MNA Haji Fazal Karim came down hard on the Federal as well as provincial governments for poor law and order in the country, and demanded of the Federal Government to immediately call a single point agenda conference on terrorism. The Interior Minister says that some foreign elements are funding these elements in Pakistan but he ever named anyone who gives funds while no terrorist has yet been sentenced by the court. Terrorists are freely moving in the country, he said. Nawab Yusuf Talpur of PPP on the point of order urged the Federal Government to release funds for the reconstruction of Tori bund in interior Sindh and warned that after two or three months, the water level might increase in Tori and Sindh could once again hit by floods. The Parliamentarians also started debate on the adjournment motion regarding increase in the prices of items of daily use. They were of the view that the government should make a strategy to curb the corruption in the institutions besides the seats in the National Assembly should also be reduced from 342 as it had also burdened on the economy of the country. This suggestion came forward from PML-N MNA, Rana Tanvir. Raja Asad Khan of PML-N, however, termed the BISP a way to get cheap popularity among the people and said that the amount which was being distributed under the BISP should be utilised to construct dams or other resources in the country. Fauzia Wahab of PPP, while taking part in the debate, focused on the improvement in the economy of the country and said that Rs 350 billion growth was observed in the agriculture sector during last two years while per month growth of textile export had reached to Rs 1.5billion. She said that according to media reports the current account of the country was showing the amount of $124 billion. However, Raza Hayat Hiraj of PML-Q raised the question that if the economic situation was so good then why the Government had been asking for the imposition of RGST and loans from international donors. Others who spoke include Sheikh Aftab, Khalida Mansor and Salahuddin of MQM. Meanwhile, the House also passed The Boiler and Pressure Vessels (Amendment) Bill, 2009 and The Recognition and Enforcement (Arbitration Agreement and Foreign Arbitral Award) Bill, 2010. While Chairman Standing Committee on Human Rights, Riaz Fatyana, presented the report of the committee on the bill to provide for the setting up of the National Commission for Human Rights (The National Commission for Human Rights Bill, 2008. Earlier, responding to a calling attention notice, Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Communication Saeed Iqbal told the House that the award to construction of Super Highway was awarded while a trauma centre was being established on the highway to deal with any untoward situation.

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