PIA Loss Dips By Rs 18 Billion During Last Three Years: NA Told

PIA loss dips by Rs 18 billion during last three years: NA told

National Assembly (NA) has been told that PIA loss has declined by Rs 18 billion during the last three years

ISLAMABAD (Pakistan Point News / Online - 31st January, 2020) National Assembly (NA) has been told that PIA loss has declined by Rs 18 billion during the last three years.The NA was further told that Rs 7 billion have been earmarked for protection of the crops against locust attack and free of interest loan will be extended for construction of 4 marla homes under Pakistan Housing Project.NA met under speaker Asad Qaisar on Friday.During question hours, PPP NA Syed Nafeesa Shah during her supplementary question said name of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed creates what trouble to government.

State minister Muhammad Ali Khan said no change is being made in BISP. PTI government has enhanced its funds. More welfare projects are being launched under Ahsas program.Parliamentary secretary while replying to a supplementary question from Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto said several good steps were taken in education sector during previous tenures. No politics should be played on education.To a supplementary question, minister for parliamentary affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said access to information law was approved during PML-N tenure but government could not set up commission within stipulated period.

The incumbent government has established commission and the commission has dealt with 100 complaints.Ali Muhammad Khan while replying to a supplementary question from Agha Rafi Ullah MNA said 13 non -elected persons were appointed advisors during PPP led government and 14 non elected people were inducted as advisors and special assistants during PML-N tenure of government.Parliamentary secretary told the house that bus service has been launched for 75 schools and colleges in federal capital.

200 buses were provided to Islamabad model schools by previous government.Replying to a supplementary question from Shahida Akhtar ALI, Minister for parliamentary affairs said loans to be provided to the low income people for construction of homes under Naya Pakistan Housing Project will be interest free. Government will bear this burden. NADRA has issued advertisements amounting to Rs 116 million so far. 203940 applicants have been registered within 295 days.

NADRA collects Rs 250 per application. 4 marla home will be provided to low income groups. Applications have been received till January 15 and it can be re-started. State of Medina can not come into being within a year.Ali Muhammad Khan said West is plunging into ravine in terms of interest. We have an alternative system against interest and we will have to resort to this system.To a question Ali Muhammad Khan said no deserving person will be removed from BISP.

Food Minister Khusro Bakhtiar while talking on a calling attention notice from MNA Muhammad Ehsan Ullah Tiwana said Choolistan and areas of Thar Balochistan are the most affected areas in locust attack . Government is taking steps to curb locust attack from its available sources. Due to these efforts cotton and other crops have been protected against locust attack. Federal government has provided grant of Rs 500 million to purchase pesticides to deal with locust attack.

PML-N MNA Rana Tanvir said Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had constituted committee with reference to flour, sugar crisis which had submitted report to PM but PM has not told their names.He said over 100 flour mills are responsible for atta crisis which have earned billion of rupees. Their Names should be made public. Why the house is being kept unaware about those responsible for this crisis. What is reason behind it. It is right of this house and 220 million people to become aware of the situation.

He said a special committee be set up to probe into this matter.Replying to call attention notice, Federal Minister for aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that regular tenders were offered regarding provision of entertainment during fight in 8 Boeing planes of PIA; however, no work order is given to any committee till yet.He said this matter is sub-judice in the courts and inquiry is underway upon the matter.Member Assembly Agha Rafiullah said that PIA has its kitchen and staff but government is bent upon running it on contract.

He said when incumbent government took charge then PIA deficit was 416 billion and four aircrafts were grounded but now efforts are being made to set right the PIA and its deficit is decreasing gradually.He said more than 600 employees having fake degrees have been sacked and inquiry report of recent incident will also be presented before the house.Upon it Member Assembly, Abdul Qadir Patel has said that PIA has incurred loss of Rs 60 billion in the last six months rendering claims of incumbent government futile and baseless.

Federal Minister said that in 2017, PIA deficit was of Rs 32 billion and in 2018 it remained Rs 29 billion.He said nation should know the real performance of PIA.Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar said that he has accepted the challenge regarding PIA adding you cannot compare 16 months of PTI government with the previous 35 years, however, he said, despite of this he is ready to accept every challenge.Member Assembly Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto said that qualification of current CEO of PIA should be told.

Federal Minister said that PIA was a profitable institution in the tenure of PIA Air Marshal Nur Khan and Air Marshal Asghar Khan.He said appointment of current CEO has also been challenged.Nawab Yousaf Talpur while talking on point of order during the session said that he had informed about locust attack in Baluchistan and Sindh few months ago.He said he had told in the meeting organized in this regard that we have received 500 million grants but later we knew that there was neither fuel for plane nor money.

He said in 1993, locust attack was controlled within 4 days.Action plan that is formed to control locust attack is good but no implementation is being made upon it.MQM member National Assembly engineer Sabir Hussain Qaimkhani has said that in the book of social studies of Sindh Text Board, Bengali immigrants are named as IDPs on page 120 of the book.He said this book should be seized.He said a committee should be set up for the supervision of syllabus in the country and pictures of architects of the nation be printed rather than party leaders.

Member Assembly Faiz Ullah said that export and trade industry of Faisalabad is in dire straits.Incentives had been announced for businessmen in electricity bills in the field of exports but now these benefits are not being given.Similarly traders have reservations regarding Federal board of Revenue (FBR).Member Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi said that 27 people died due to low gas pressure in Abbottabad and Manshera.Upon whom responsibility of loss of innocent lives rests with .Upon it Federal Minister for energy Omar Ayub said that people died in Manshera and in Abbottabad not due to low gas pressure but of depletion of oxygen .