The Senate was informed on Wednesday that the gas connections are being provided to the applicants on merit and such applications upto 2015 have been cleared.
Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the House during question hour that gas connections are awarded to the applicants according to the allotment decided by OGRA. He said last year three hundred thousand connections were provided.
He said ten percent connections are allocated on priority basis to the applicants six months after their application who deposit additional 25000 rupees. He said the priority period has now reduced to two to three months. He said the priority connections last year were 30,000.
To a question, the Minister said that 25 billion rupees have been allocated in the current budget for gas infrastructure development including Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project. He, however, said that the work on Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline project will start after lifting of international sanctions on Iran. He said the agreement with Iran in this connection will be amended shortly.
Replying to a question, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that the installed capacity of Warsak Power Station is 243 MW which has been decreased to 185 MW due to heavy sediment load carried by water of Kabul River. He said PC-I amounting to 22.25 billion rupees have been approved for its rehabilitation.
Answering a question, the Minister said that India is constructing a number of run-of-river hydroelectric plants and dams on the Western Rivers of Pakistan. He said the designs of these plants are mostly in violation of the design criteria specified by Indus Water Treaty 1960.
He said Pakistan has raised the issue with India for amicable resolution at the level of Permanent Indus Commission. He said in case of non-cooperation by India the cases are referred to World Bank for appointment of neutral experts or the Court of Arbitration as per provision of the treaty.
To a question, Minister for Housing and Works Akram Khan Durrani informed the House that an amount of 6.55 billion rupees have been collected from 16,500 allottees of Bhara Kahu Housing Scheme.
He said that initially the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation purchased 3153 kanal of land from the contractor in 2009. He said recently the foundation is going to purchase 12,000 to 20,000 kanal of land at Bhara Kahu to accommodate rest of the applicants of Membership Drive of Phase-I. He said the agreement has been finalized with the contractor to complete the development work in two years after signing of the agreement.
Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani and others regarding the issuance of special hunting permits to the Qatri Princes for hunting of Houbara Bustard, illegal occupation of the lands of the locals by the representative deputed by the Federal Government to provide security to the princes and constant harassment to the local community by damaging their crops and excessive hunting of precious and rare birds, Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid told the House that the permits for hunting are given by the provincial government and not by the federal government.
He said a code of conduct has been formulated for hunting and circulated among the embassies and the foreign dignitaries. He said during the three month hunting period one party is allowed for ten days to hunt hundred birds by falcon and use of fire is prohibited. He said that the sustainable use of Houbara Bustard is also allowed by International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Responding to another calling attention notice moved by Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh regarding the manufacturing of substandard LPG cylinders causing a serious life threat to the domestic consumers of LPG, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the House that OGRA regulates qualified companies for manufacture of LPG.
He said 13 companies are registered with OGRA in this regard. He said the action is being taken by the local government on the complaints received. He said the price of the LPG cylinder has not been increased during the last year to provide relief to the common man.
The Senate today passed a resolution disapproving the National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 with majority.
The resolution was moved by Taj Haider and others.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad laid before the House the National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017.
The chair referred the ordinance to the Standing Committee concerned of the House.
Speaking on a point of public interest Siraj-ul-Haq said that US administration should be contacted for the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. He said that she has been detained in the United States for the last 14 years and Obama administration is releasing a number of detainees before the end of its tenure.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Law Zahid Hamid said that the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice also passed a resolution in this regard today. He said that he will convey the message to Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs for further action in this regard.
The House will now meet on Thursday afternoon at three.
