1 (4Th Session) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT
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1 (4th 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 Wednesday, the 31st October, 2018 31. *Sheikh Rohale Asghar: (Transferred from 3rd Session) Will the Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training be pleased to state whether the construction of the campus of Federal Urdu University, Islamabad has commenced? Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training (Mr. Shafqat Mahmood): Yes, the construction of the campus of Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST), Islamabad has started on May 4, 2018. The current status is as under: Current Status: The PSDP Project title is “Establishment of Main Campus of Federal Urdu University at Islamabad”. In the Phase-I the contract of Rs. 602.884 million for construction of Administration and Academics blocks with External Development was awarded in April, 2018. The work was commenced on 04-05-2018 for a completion period of 21 months. The expected date of completion is 30-01-2020. The project designed consultancy and detailed supervision is under the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK). According to the physical progress upto end of September, 2018 the 30% work has been completed. The overall achieved financial progress is 21%. In the PSDP of 2018-19 the GoP has allocated Rs. 306.368 Million for this project Rs. 61.274 Million has been released in the first quarter of this fiscal year. 2 32. *Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali: (Transferred from 3rd Session) Will the Minister In-charge of the Cabinet Division be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that mobile phone calls have been dropping frequently since taxes on mobile phone cards have been abolished by august Supreme Court; (b) if the answer to part (a) above is in affirmative, the action being taken by the Government against the mobile phone companies concerned? Minister In-charge of the Cabinet Division: (a) & (b) Call dropping has no link with taxation. It is a network oriented phenomena. It may be added that: i. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) monitors performance of cellular operators through Quality of Service (QoS) surveys conducted from time to time throughout Pakistan. ii. One of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) being measured is called “Call Completion Ratio (CCR)”. It is defined as, “The probability that a service, once obtained, will continue to be provided under given condition for a given time duration or until deliberately terminated by either A-party or B-party”. iii. This KPI is conversely equivalent to Call Drop Ratio. The threshold value of CCR is 98%. iv. No such call drop phenomena has been observed in the recent QoS survey carried out in October 2018. 33. *Ch. Muhammad Barjees Tahir: (Transferred from 3rd Session) Will the Minister for Climate Change be pleased to state: (a) the total number of saplings planted during the plantation campaign of the Prime Minister; 3 (b) the province-wise expenditures incurred there on so far; and (c) the steps being taken for their growth alongwith the expenses to be incurred thereupon? Minister of State for Climate Change (Ms. Zartaj Gul): (a) A total of 2.48 million saplings were planted during “Plant for Pakistan Day” campaign inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on 2nd September, 2018. (b) Federal Government provided interprovincial coordination to organize the campaign in the country. Respective provinces and territories utilized their own resources to participate in the campaign. (c) The plants distributed during the campaign were planted and are being maintained by the public and institutions that participated in the campaign, from their own resources. 34. *Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro: (Transferred from 3rd Session) Will the Minister for Information and Broadcasting Division be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the newly constituted “Content Committee” is being chaired by the Minister; (b) if the answer to part (a) above is in the affirmative, whether said Committee is not against the principle of freedom of information; if so, the reasons thereof? Minister for Information and Broadcasting Division (Mr. Fawad Ahmed): (a) Yes the newly formed content committee is being chaired by the Minister. (b) The committee aims to scrutinize only TV commercials in the light of article 19 of the constitution and code of conduct. 4 35. *Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah: (Transferred from 3rd Session) Will the Minister In-charge of the Aviation Division be pleased to state: (a) whether the existing software has been replaced by the Government with the software of Turkish Airlines; if so, the reasons thereof; and (b) the details of expenditure incurred on said software? Minister In-charge of the Aviation Division: (a) PIA has changed its reservation system/Passenger Services System (PSS) on 12th September 2018 to next generation system, known as Crane PAX - a PSS system by Turkish Company - HITIT Computer Services, PIA has been using its old system from last 18 years, while especially Information Technology has entirely changed in the past few years and now offers even more opportunities for better customer service. The agreement with the previous vendors was expiring on 14th September 2018, and therefore PIA selected the new technology through competitive bidding under PPRA Rules. Transitions of such type are unprecedented where our previous provider did not cooperate with us but we completed the migration of such a complex and globally integrated project within only five months. We were challenged in the most gritting manner, including noncooperation by our previous reservation provider, legal challenges, and resource limitations. Yet we tried our best and rise above all challenges to make sure we deliver the best to our nation. PIA’s new PSS will not only help the airline upgrade its technology to meet global benchmarks, but also to streamline its operations, augment its service offerings, reduce costs by half at least, will create opportunities new revenue streams and most importantly improving our PIA passenger experience. Now we feel free from such uneven contracts, open for innovative technology integrations, and also facilitating our passengers with modem airline facilities and services. (b) Following are the payments to HITIT until 20th October 2018, with respect to implementation of the new software. 5 It is pertinent to mention that the new system would cost PIA $21 Million over a period of five years of the contract term, which will result in over 60% of the savings in comparison of the previous vendor. 36. *Mr. Nawab Sher: (Transferred from 3rd Session) Will the Minister for Climate Change be pleased to state: (a) whether Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA) has taken notice of discharge of industrial toxic in various cities particularly in Faisalabad; if so, the details; if not, the reasons thereof; (b) whether it is a fact that Nala Dek passing through Faisalabad, Sialkot and Sheikhupura has been filled with industrial toxic as huge quantum of industrial toxic is being discharged by different industrial units; and 6 (c) the steps being taken by the PEPA to prevent all such industrial units from discharging industrial toxic in the said water courses? Minister of State for Climate Change (Ms. Zartaj Gul): (a) After the 18th constitutional amendment, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency is mandated with its function under Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997, for protection, conservation and rehabilitation of environment in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency has conducted a water quality survey Simly Dam, Rawal Dam and Khanpur Dam in July-August 2018. The results are enclosed as Annex-I. The CDA has installed two waste water treatment plants with capacity of 17 and 5 million gallons per day in sector I-9 to treat sewage of the city. The capacity of these sewerage treatment plants is sufficient to treat city sewerage. (b) Matter has been taken up with Punjab-EPA and all efforts have been made to obtain this information from them. Their reply is awaited. (c) As above. (Annexure has been placed in the National Assembly Library) 37. *Mr. Ahmad Hussain Deharr: (Transferred from 3rd Session) Will the Minister for Railways be pleased to state: (a) the details of revenue generated by the Government from the Pakistan Railways lands leased out for agricultural and commercial purposes alongwith the district-wise break-up thereof; (b) whether any policy has been devised by the Government to carry out plantation alongside the railways track; if not, the reasons thereof; 7 (c) the amount generated by the Government from auction/allotment of commercial lands of the railways during the last five years till date; and (d) the details of action taken by the Government against the persons involved in embezzlement in this regard? Minister for Railways (Sheikh Rashid Ahmed): (a) An amount of Rs. 1763.125 million has been generated during financial year 2017-18 from Railway land leased out for agricultural and commercial purposes. Division wise details are as under:— District wise detail is attached as Annexure-A. (b) Ministry of Railways issued instructions to Pakistan Railways Headquarters Office Lahore to initiate a massive tree plantation campaign for plantation of one million trees on entire Railway network. Measures have been taken up at Divisional level and 254535 No. trees are planted till date (detail attached as Annexure-B). Pakistan Railways has also planned of plantation alongwith railway track in connection with up-gradation of ML-1 in CPEC. The Ministry of Climate Change with the respective provincial forest department has also planned plantation along the railway track. 8 (c) An amount of Rs. 8099.38 million has been generated during last five years from Railway land leased out for commercial purposes excluding the land lease charges for agriculture purpose.