1 (33rd Session) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT ———— “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES” to be asked at a sitting of the National Assembly to be held on Monday, the 24th May, 2021 75. *Ms. Mehnaz Akber Aziz: (Deferred during 29th Session) Will the Minister In-charge of the Poverty Alleviation and Social safety Division be pleased to state the details of Pakistan’s Covid fund collected by the Federal Government, break-up of expenditures made thereof? Minister In-charge of the Poverty Alleviation and Social safety Division: As per proposals approved by the ECC in its meeting held on 15-05-2020 and ratified by Federal Cabinet in its meeting held on 16-05-2020, it was decided that the funds collected through Prime Minister’s Covid-19 Pandemic Relief Assistance Fund-2020 will be used to provide cash grant to the laborers through Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme (EECP). Accordingly, the BISP identified around 1.26 million laborer beneficiaries under Category-IV of EECP and accordingly approximately Rs. 15.5 billion were released by Finance Division as supplementary grant to the BISP. As of 24-03-2021, BISP has disbursed approximately Rs. 14.18 billion to around 1.181 million laborer beneficiaries under Category-IV of EECP. The fund received generous donations from within Pakistan and overseas totaling to Rs. 4.886 billion. The Prime Minister announced two policies with respect to this fund, committing that these funds would be disbursed through Ehsaas Emergency Cash to assist COVID-19 job loss affectees. Secondly, a “matching funds policy” was announced which stipulated that for every rupee donated into the fund, Rs. 4 would be matched by the Government. To fulfill this promise, Rs. 19.55 billion were matched by the Government - in total Rs. 24.43 billion. 2 Category-V of EECP was created to cater the spillover of eligible beneficiaries of Category-II and Category III. Total eligible beneficiaries for Category-V were 2.451 million and Rs. 19.826 billion were disbursed to 1.652 million beneficiaries which includes Rs. 10.25 billion; of PM’s Covid-19 Pandemic Relief Assistance Fund-2020 as communicated by Finance Division. 69. *Syed Imran Ahmad Shah: (Deferred during 31st Session) Will the Minister In-charge of the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety be pleased to state whether it is a fact that poverty rate has been increased in the country during the tenure of incumbent Government? Minister In-charge of the Poverty Alleviation and Social safety Division: Poverty in estimated by using the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) data. The latest available poverty headcount is available for the year 2015-16 according to which 24.3% of the population was living below the poverty line. Due to census related activities, HIES data was not collected in 2017-18. The HIES Survey Data for 2018-19 has been released by the PBS. M/o PD&SI has constituted an experts committee for estimating updated poverty numbers. At this point of time, there is no official estimate to verify or deny the claim that the poverty has increased during the tenure of the incumbent government. 37. *Mr. Ali Gohar Khan: Will the Minister for Aviation Division be pleased to state the year- wise details of profit/loss of PIA during the last three years? Minister for Aviation Division (Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Khan): Year- wise details of losses during the last three Years 2018-2020 are as under:— PKR in Million —————————————————————————————— Year Loss —————————————————————————————— 2020 34,643 2019 52,602 2018 67,327 —————————————————————————————— 3 38. *Ms. Shahida Rehmani: Will the Minister for Climate Change be pleased to state: (a) how many tonnes of cigarette butts/filters wind up as toxic trash in Pakistan every year; (b) how much wood is used annually for tobacco every year; and (c) what steps taken or being taken by the Government to reduce non-renewable trash? Deferred for answer on Next Rota Day. 39. *Mr. Ahmad Hussain Deharr: Will the Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training be pleased to state: (a) the division-wise number of Public and Private Medical Colleges and Universities each separately in Punjab; (b) the comparison of part (a) above in the South Punjab and Upper Punjab so far; and (c) the steps being taken by the Government to provide equal rights of Medical education in the deprived areas alongwith the details thereof? Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training (Mr. Shafqat Mahmood): (a) The division-wise detail of Medical Universities in Punjab (public and private sector) is as under: —————————————————————————————— Division Public Private Total —————————————————————————————— Lahore 3 0 3 Rawalpindi 2 0 2 Faisalabad 1 0 1 Multan 1 0 1 —————————————————————————————————— Total 7 0 7 —————————————————————————————— 4 The full detail Medical Universities is attached at Annex-I. However, information of medical colleges does not come under the purview of HEC. It may be sought from Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC). (b) As per above detail, two Medical Universities are located in Upper, four in central, and one in Southern Punjab. The detail of Medical Colleges may be sought from PMC. (c) The Federal Government cannot charter a Federal University in any province. After 18th Constitutional Amendment, only a ‘federal degree awarding institute’ for ‘research and education’ can be established by the Federal Government. Establishment of a new university, within the geographical limits of a province, is the prerogative of the respective Provincial Government. Nonetheless, HEC is initiating a strategic development framework to ascertain requirements of new campuses or universities across the country. The establishment of Medical College doesn’t come under the purview of HEC. Annex-I LIST OF MEDICAL UNIVERSITIES IN PUNJAB —————————————————————————————— S. No. Name of University City —————————————————————————————— 1 King Edward Medical University, Lahore Lahore 2 University of Health Sciences, Lahore Lahore 3 Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore Lahore 4 Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi Rawalpindi 5 National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi Rawalpindi 6 Nishtar Medical University, Multan Multan 7 Faisalabad Medical University, Faisalabad Faisalabad —————————————————————————————— 5 40. *Ms. Nasiba Channa: Will the Minister for Aviation Division be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that three private airlines are to start their domestic flight operations; (b) if so, the details with number, names and types of the aeroplanes which the said airlines possess? Minister for Aviation Division (Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Khan): (a) Yes. Three companies have approached Civil Aviation Authority to start domestic flight operations. (b) (i) M/s North Air has been issued Tourism Promotion and Regional Integration (Passenger & Cargo) licence. The company has plans to induct ATR-42. Presently, the company is in process to acquire Air Operating Certificate (AOC) from CAA. (ii) M/s Fly Jinnah Services Regular Public Transport (RPT) License case has been submitted to the Federal Cabinet for approval. The company will induct A-320 airbus and will start operations after obtaining AOC from CAA. (iii) M/s Q Airways has also applied for RPT license. The case has been referred to Ministry of Interior for security clearance. 41. *Syed Agha Rafiullah: Will the Minister for Aviation Division be pleased to refer to the Starred Question No.65 replied on 29-01-2021 and to state: (a) what steps are being taken by the Government to pursue vigorously all the pending cases of alleged corrupt practices with regard to construction of the new Islamabad International Airport, at respective legal forums; (b) whether the relevant authorities have replied in response to the observations of the Prime Minister’s Office; 6 (c) whether, the Ministry or any other authority comes under the administrative control of the Ministry, which contacted the parent departments of those retired officers of armed forces, who have not responded to their allegations; (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons thereof; and (e) what corrective steps/measures are being taken by the Government in this regard? Minister for Aviation Division (Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Khan): (a) The alleged corrupt practices with regard to construction and make of New Islamabad Airport are currently under investigation with NAB and FIA. The outcome of inquiries is pending. The details of different Contract Packages being investigated by NAB and FIA is enclosed as Annex-A. (b) The consolidated response to the observations raised by the honorable Prime Minister has been shared with DGCAA for comments. Response will be submitted to the Prime Minister in due course of time. (c) & (d) CAA has contacted the retired armed forces officers by posting letters to their home addresses however, no formal letter has yet been sent to their parent departments. (e) The alleged corrupt practices with regard to construction and make of New Islamabad Airport are currently under investigation with NAB and FIA. (Annexure has been placed in the National Assembly Library) 42. *Syed Mehmood Shah: Will the Minister In-charge of the Cabinet Division be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the Internet signals of 3G and 4G have been closed in District Kalat and District Shaheed Sikendarabad from last three years; (b) if so, the time by which 3G and 4G signals will be restored in the said area? 7 Minister In-charge of the Cabinet Division: (a) Cellular data services are closed in Kalat and Shaheed Sikandarabad (Surab) in respectful compliance of GoP directions in the context of national security. (b) No definite timeline can be provided for restoration of services as the same will depend upon reappraisal from the quarters concerned which have been requested through MoI time and again. 43. *Mr. Ali Gohar Khan: Will the Minister In-charge of the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division be pleased to state the number of residents of District Faisalabad, to whom benefits of poverty alleviation were given during 2020-21, under different schemes alongwith the details thereof? Reply not received.