ARSHAD—1374(14)NA (S) PC-9 1 (16th 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 8th December, 2014 62. *Ms. Belum Hasnain: (Deferred on 28-11-2014). Will the Minister for Commerce be pleased to state: (a) the steps being taken by the Government to increase the export of processed meat to the bordering regions; and (b) the number of meat-processing plants set up/planned in the said areas? Minister for Commerce (Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan): (a) Government has announced mark-up subsidy @ 50% for setting up of meat processing plants in bordering provinces i.e. KPK, Baluchistan and Gilgit Baltistan. Secondly, meat exports are eligible for ad-hoc relief @ 3% of FOB of exports and mark-up rate support of 2% under Export Finance Scheme (EFS). (b) No requests for establishing the meat processing plants have been received till to date. 79. *Dr. Fozia Hameed: (Deferred on 28-11-2014). Will the Minister for Commerce be pleased to state the steps being taken by the Government to increase exports of Surgical Goods alongwith details thereof? Minister for Commerce (Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan): Ministry of Commerce has undertaken various initiatives to increase exports of surgical goods. 2 Ministry of Commerce announced the Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) in 2013, which provides a medium term road map to address challenges and improve export competitiveness through export development initiatives. Government has announced mark-up rate support of 2% under Export Finance Scheme (EFS) for exports of selected sectors which includes surgical goods as well. Details at Annex-A. Moreover, TDAP has taken the following initiatives to boost exports of surgical goods:— TDAP has facilitated participation in several exhibitions, and trade fairs all around the world in order to enhance exports of surgical goods. The list of these fairs is at Annex-B. In order to meet the International standards in the surgical goods market, SIMTEL (Sialkot Material Testing Laboratory) has been established in collaboration with the Association of the surgical goods. CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries, Netherlands) started Export Coaching program (2010-15) for Medical Products and Laboratory Equipment. Under this program, thirteen companies of surgical instruments were selected by CBI for training. The said companies have completed training and successfully participated in the program so far; 3 88. *Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja: (Deferred on 28-11-2014). Will the Minister for Textile Industry be pleased to state the steps being taken by the Government to resolve the problems faced by All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) In terms of losses incurred during the last year? Minister for Textile Industry (Mr. Abbas Khan Afridi): All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has raised the issue of shortage of electricity and gas in Punjab. Last year the Government provided 85 mmcfd gas to the Textiles sector. This year APTMA again highlighted the same issue and the honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan has constituted a Special Committee comprising Ministers for Finance, Water and Power, Petroleum and Natural Resources and Textile Industry to address gas supply and any other relevant issue. —————————————————————————————— @ Transferred from Defence Division. 4 @106. *Ms. Aisha Syed: Will the Minister for States and Frontier Regions be pleased to state the special steps taken by the Government for the families affected by terrorism and drone attacks in FATA during the last two year? Minister for States and Frontier Regions [Lt. Gen (Retd) Abdul Quadir Baloch]: “The Government is compensating the affected families of terrorism as per approved policy. Recently on 20th October, 2014 the Government has revised the rates of compensation for affected families. During last two years 978 persons were martyred and 1345 were seriously injured due to terrorist acts in FATA. A total of Rs. 731.839 Million has been paid to the legal heirs of martyred and injured. There is no Government policy for compensation to the affected families of drone attacks separately.” 211. *Ms. Belum Hasnain: Will the Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development be pleased to state: (a) the purpose of establishment of Overseas Workers Welfare Fund alongwith the services provided by the said fund during the last three years; (b) the total amount allocated for the said fund during the said period; and (c) the number and names of the welfare projects launched under the above said fund at present alongwith the status of implementation thereof? Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (Pir Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi): (a), (b) & (c) The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development has not established Overseas Workers Welfare Fund. However, there are two organizations (i) 5 Overseas Pakistanis Foundation which exclusively look after the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and (ii) Workers Welfare Fund which deals with the welfare of industrial workers. In view of above, the Honorable MNA is requested to move a fresh question to indicate the exact organization for reply of the said question. 212. *Ms. Belum Hasnain: Will the Minister for States and Frontier Regions be pleased to state the total amount of welfare funds allocated for the development programs/projects in FATA during the year 2013-14 and 2014-15 along with the head-wise expenditure thereof? Minister for States and Frontier Regions [Lt. Gen (Retd) Abdul Quadir Baloch]: Rs. In million ————————————————————————————— S. Particulars 2013-14 2014-15 No. ——————————————————————————————— i. Total amount 6589.245 6843.476 allocated ii. Total 5839.469 486.527 expenditure iii. Total 473 327 schemes —————————————————————————————— Details of schemes are Annex-I. 6 213. *Dr. Nafisa Shah: Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs be pleased to state whether it is a fact that bilateral agreements have been signed with Russia, recently; if so, the details thereof? Minister for Foreign Affairs: The bilateral agrrements signed between Pakistan and Russia are attached as Annex- “A”. 7 214. *Dr. Nafisa Shah: Will the Minister for Commerce be pleased to state whether there is any policy of the Government for investment and trade in West Africa; if so, the details thereof? Minister for Commerce (Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan): Ministry of Commerce is primarily concerned with the aspects of bilateral trade. Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2012-15 is a roadmap to boost exports of Pakistan and to enhance mttrket access for our merchandise exports. In this regard. STN. announced several export enhancement initiatives focusing institutional development for export potential regions. For African Region, the following initiatives have been announced. Opening retail sale outlets in major importing countries is the best tool for introducing and exporting high quality and branded exports of Pakistan. International presence of Pakistani firms at present is very low as compared to our competitors. motivate exporters to introduce their finished products. Government provides subsidy on these outlets up to 75%. 50%. 25% per annum of the rental cost of retail outlets or ware houses in the first, second and third year respectively in .the export markets in Asia/Africa and Australia. As regards West Africa, the region comprises 18 countries namely Benin. Burkina Faso, the island of Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau. Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the Island of Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principal and Togo. Out of these countries, 15 countries are member of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS.), a region with headquarters in Abuja. Nigeria. During the visit of President of Pakistan to Nigeria in June, 2014, both sides agreed to not on enhance bilateral trade but the Nigerian side also assured to play its role in facilitating access of Pakistani goods to ECOWAS member states. Ministry of Commerce is now planning to open a trade Commission in Lagos. Nigeria. The Ministry is also in the process of concluding a Bilateral Trade Agreement with Nigeria. Cabinet on 12-9-2014 has accorded approval of start of negotiations for signing of Bilateral rade Agreement (BTM between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Government of the Republic of Nigeria. 8 215. *Ms. Shazia Mari: Will the Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan be pleased to state: (a) the number of scholarships granted to the deserving students by Bait-ul-Mall in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during the current fiscal year; and (b) the percentage and number of the above said scholarships given to the students of schools and madrassas respectively during the current and previous fiscal years? Transferred to Cabinet Division for answer on Next Rota Day. 216. *Ms. Shazia Mari: Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that tourists travelling to China required to obtain a separate visa for Hong Kong; (b) if the answer to part (a) is in the affirmative, the name of other SAARC countries whose citizens face the same restrictions at present? Minister for Foreign Affairs: (a) Tourists travelling through China require a separate visa to visit Hong Kong. (b) The citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka also require visas to visit Hong Kong. 217. *Mr. Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi: