ISLAMABAD: The combined opposition in Senate on Thursday stage a walkout against the increase in prices of some medicines and killing of PPP workers in a protest rally in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Speaking on a point of order, MQM’s Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh said that prices of some medicines have registered an increase of 60 to 70 percent in the market. The pharmaceutical companies have increased prices of medicines on their own, he said, asking what Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA), which was responsible for regulating the prices, was doing in this regard. He advised the government to control the prices, and as a protest, announced a walkout, which was supported by the combined opposition.
Meanwhile, PML-N’s Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq told the House that the matter of hike in medicine prices was raised in the committee and was properly addressed by the state minister for health and regulation. The Senate chairman noted that the issue was of a serious nature and referred the matter to the Senate committee concerned for an investigation. On another point of order, Pakistan People’s Party parliamentary leader Senator Saeed Ghani said a few days ago PPP had held a peaceful protest demonstration in AJK.
He claimed that some political party workers clashed with them and one worker died and several others were injured on the spot. Instead of showing solidarity with the aggrieved family, the PML-N government gave instigative statements, he claimed, adding that it has adopted such behavior because the general election in AJK is near. He advised the government to change this behaviour with the aggrieved families and as a protest announced a walkout from the House.
The combined opposition staged a walkout. State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab presented a bill for the establishment of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation into a public limited company [The Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (conversion) Bill, 2015], as passed by the National Assembly. The upper house of parliament met for an emergency session to take up the controversial bill seeking to convert the national airline into a limited company.
On January 22, the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (Conversion) Bill 2015 was passed by the National Assembly even as the opposition protested and walked out of the session. PPP’s Senator Saeed Ghani said that the bill should be sent to the standing committee of the house. The treasury benches did not object to PPP senator’s demand. The chairman referred the bill to the standing committee and directed it to present its report in the House within 12 days. Senate passed three bills – The Electoral Rolls (Amendment) Bill, 2015, The Delimitation of Constituencies (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Establishment of Pakistan Halal Food Authority bill, 2015 unanimously.
Earlier, during question-hour, the House was informed that at present 1.55 million registered Afghan refugees were residing in Pakistan. Minister for States and Frontier Region Abdul Qadir Baloch said that the prime minister had recently extended the legal stay of registered Afghan refugees till June 30 this year. However, there was also a proposal for the extension of these refugees stay till the end of the next year. The minister said since 2002, 3.9 million Afghan refugees have been repatriated to their homeland.
Replying to a supplementary question, he said Pakistan has commitment to the international community to repatriate Afghan refugees with dignity and honour. He said the issue of repatriation has repeatedly been taken up with the Afghan government but it has expressed its inability to provide necessary facilities and incentives for the return of refugees to their homeland. Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique informed the House that there is a proposal for laying a new railway track from Havelian to Khunjerab. He said the project is part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and is likely to commence under a long-term plan of CPEC. The House has now been prorogued.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan said solid measures are being taken against sub-standard gas cylinders which cause fatal incidents. Responding to a calling-attention notice regarding the increasing incidents of blasts due to sub-standard gas cylinders and lack of action against the illegal gas refilling stations, the state minister said the district administrations could play important role in launching a crackdown on the lethal business. Therefore, he added the matter would be taken up with the provincial governments to pass on directives to the district officials to take action against these unscrupulous businesses.
