NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT ———— “QUESTIONS for ORAL ANSWERS and THEIR REPLIES” to Be Asked A
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1 (34th 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 Thursday, the 11th August, 2016 123. *Ms. Munaza Hassan (Deferred from 32nd Session) Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the movement of Indian forces has extraordinarily increased on the line of control adjacent to the Neelam Valley; and (b) whether it is also a fact that the said movement is violation of the Ceasefire Agreement of 2003; if so, the reasons thereof? Tranferred to Defence Division for answer on Next Rota Day. 124. *Ms. Naeema Kishwar Khan (Deferred from 32nd Session) Will the Minister for Commerce be pleased to state: (a) the total quantity of gold sent abroad or sold illegally during the year 2012-13; (b) the loss suffered by country’s economy due to devaluation of rupees therefrom alongwith the details thereof; and (c) the actions taken by the Government against the responsibles thereof? Admissibility is being re-considered. 2 44. *Dr. Fozia Hameed: (Deffered on 03-08-2016) Will the Minister for Commerce be pleased to state: (a) the earnings accrued from the transit and border trade during the last three years; and (b) the steps being taken by the Government to increase the said earnings? Minister for Commerce (Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan): (a) Under Article 30 of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), 2010, no duties & taxes are leviable on transit goods; therefore, no direct revenue is generated by FBR from the Afghan Transit Trade. However, Goods Declaration (GD) filing fee @ Rs. 250/- per GD is being charged on Commercial Transit cargo and @ of Rs. 24000/- per GD on US Cargo. An amount of Rs. 27.8 million on account of Transit Commercial/ non-Commercial GD filing fee and Rs. 80.9 million under the head of GD fee on US/ ISAF / NATO Transit cargo has been collected over the last three years. 2. Various other businesses involved in clearance of transit cargo such as port terminal operators & shipping sector e.g. shipping companies, stevedores, freight forwarders, Customs Agents, Transport Operators, Insurance Companies, Tracking Companies, toll tax collectors, earn revenues from transit trade. 3. As informed by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Duty and taxes collected from border trade during the last 03 years are as under:— (i) MCC Peshawar (Pak-Afghan Border) (Amount in Million) 3 4 5 (b) Ministry of Commerce is the policy making authority whereas the FBR regulates the transit and border trade. Government has taken the following steps towards enhancement in transit and border trade with the neighboring countries:— (i) Government of Pakistan has acceded to TIR Convention, 1975 which is soon to be operationalized. (ii) Another landmark project for expansion of transit and border trade is the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both CPEC and TIR Convention are expected, to expand the transit / bilateral / regional trade in future which will have a positive impact on Pakistan’s econolity. (iii) In order to facilitate the importers/ exporters, the following new Customs stations have been opened at:— (1) Pak-Afghan border: Nawagai (Bajaur Agency), Khapakh/ Ghalani (Mohmand Agency), Teri-Mangal (Kurram Agency), Buki (Kurram Agency), Kharlachi (Kurram Agency), Shaheedano Dand (Kurram Agency), Chulam Khan- (North Waziristan Agency), Lawara Boya (South Waziristan Agency), Angoor Adda (South Waziristan Agency) and Khand Narai (South Waziristan Agency). (2) Pak Iran border: Katagar (District Washuk-Adjacent to Mashkel, Chdighi (District Panjgoor), Rideeq (District Mand) and Border Point-250 (District Kach). Besides the opening of new Customs stations, the existing stations at Torkham, Chaman and Taftan are being upgraded. (iv) The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved development of Integrated Transit Trade Management System (ITTMS) project aimed at fully capitalizing the transit trade potential of the country. Under the proposed project, state of the art border-crossing complexes at Torkham, Wagha and Chaman will be constructed, which will reduced well time of cargo clearance, monitor pilferage and pave the way for one-window operation at country and regional levels. The projected cost of the project is Rs 31.686. billion. 6 (v) In order to improve border management and to curb illegal trade on both sides of Pak-Iran border a project of construction of gate alongwith fencing of the restricted Customs area at Taftan has been launched and the tentative date for the completion of this project is 14th August, 2016. (vi) Role of Pakistan Railways is being reactivated with special reference to transit trade with Afghanistan which will reduce the cost of business for Afghan Transit Traders. 183. *Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb: Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs be pleased to state: (a) the total number of Pakistanis imprisoned in jails of Cambodia at present; and (b) the steps being taken by the Government in this regard? Minister for Foreign Affairs: (a) There is only one prisoner by the name of Mr. Shaheen Ahmed Khan who was arrested on 3rd July 2008 and sentenced to 20 years with a fine of US$ 10,000 in August 2009 on the charges of drug trafficking. He is currently serving his sentence at Phnom Penh Prison (PJ). (b) His lawyer has filed an appeal in the court. At present, it is of possible to predict his date of release. 184. *Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb: Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs be pleased to state: (a) the total number of Pakistanis imprisoned in jails of Brunei Darul Islam at present; and (b) the steps being taken by the Government in this regard? Minister for Foreign Affairs: Presently, there is no Pakistani prisoner in the Jails of Brunei Darul Islam. The reply of the above question may please be treated as NIL. 7 185. *Ms. Aisha Syed: Will the Minister for States and Frontier Regions be pleased to state: (a) the total number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) repatriated to their own areas/homes during the tenure of the present Government; and (b) the detail of facilities provided to them? Minister for States and Frontier Regions [Lt. Gen. (Retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch]: (a) During the tenure of the present government, around 197,178 TDPs families have been repatriated to their areas of origin / home till date. One family comprises of approximately (6.2 persons). Below are the details: (b) The following facilities are being provided to the registered TDPs returning to their area of origin: a. Transport grant @ Rs. 10,000/ family by the government (electronic transfers via SIMs). b. Return Cash Grant @ Rs. 25,000/ family by the government (electronic transfers via ATM). c. Six months food security in areas of return by World Food Programme. 8 d. Targeted Assistance of Tents (on need basis) by UNHCR. e. Targeted Assistance of NFI Package (on need basis) by UNHCR. f. Targeted Assistance of Tool Kits (on need basis) by UNHCR. g. Livelihood Support Grants (LSG) @ Rs. 16,000/- in four installments and Child Wellness Grants (CWG) @ Rs. 7500/- in three installments by World Bank. 186. *Ms. Aisha Syed: Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that citizens of Bangladesh who are sincere with Pakistan are being hanged in Bangladesh; (b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to raise the above said issue with the Government of Bangladesh and at the international level? Minister for Foreign Affairs: (a) Pakistan believes that the recent executions of several opposition leaders in Bangladesh, convicted for alleged crimes committed before December 1971, were done through a flawed judicial process. This is in violation of the 1974 Tripartite Agreement which states that the Government of Bangladesh “decided not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency”. We have urged Government of Bangladesh to uphold its commitments under this Agreement. Pakistan has expressed deep concern over the unfortunate executions of opposition leaders in Bangladesh i.e. Mr. Abdul Quader Mollah, Mr. M. Kamruzzaman, Mr. Salahuddin Quader Choudhry and Mr. Ali Ahsan Mujahid. (b) Pakistan has been issuing statement of concern at these executions, also drawing attention to statement of international human rights organizations to record their reservations on the flawed judicial process against these opposition leader. The Acting High Commissioner of Bangladesh was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a strong protest was lodged at the unfortunate hanging of Mr. Motiur Rahman Nizami on alleged crimes committed before December 1971. 9 187. *Ms. Shakila Luqman: Will the Minister for Commerce be pleased to state the steps being taken by the Government to increase the exports of handicrafts of the country? Minister for Commerce (Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan): There are several government departments which are promoting development and export of handicraft: 1. Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), under Ministry of Commerce regularly participates in the local and international fairs and exhibitions, and organizes trade delegations to promote exports of handicraft items. 2. TDAP organized WEXNET consecutively for 2 years. The products focus in the events were ladies and children garments, woolen hand woven shawls, shoes, jewelry, furniture, handicrafts made of clay/ ceramics, dry flowers, gift items of fiberglass, colored glass, jute, wood lamps, embroidered items, batik work, health products, bed linen products and embroidered cushions of leather etc. Similarly, Aalishan Pakistan held in India also showcased Pakistani handicraft items. 3. TDAP also provides facilitation through Commercial Counselors abroad to the exporters of handicrafts. 4. For skill development and capacity building of the craftsmen, training institutes have been established under EDF in sectors like Textile, Leather. Surgical, Jewellery, etc. 5. Seminars on export related issues and standards are regularly organized for awareness of SMEs in the sector.