1 (279th Session) SENATE SECRETARIAT ————— “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES” to be asked at a sitting of the Senate to be held on Friday, the 13th July, 2018 DEFERRED QUESTIONS [Questions Nos. 196, 68 and 191 deferred on 23rd February, 2018, (276th Session)] (Def.) *Question No. 196 Senator Dr. Jehanzeb Jamaldini: (Notice Received on 28/11/2017 at 12:10 PM) QID: 33828 Will the Minister for Law and Justice be pleased to state the details of foreign visits made by Chief Justices and Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts separately during the last five years with year-wise break up indicating also the duration and purpose of visit and expenditure incurred in each case? Reply not received. (Def.) *Question No. 68 Senator Dr. Jehanzeb Jamaldini: (Notice Received on 22/11/2017 at 1:30 AM) QID: 33674 Will the Minister for Water Resources be pleased to state whether it is a fact that Afghanistan is building Hydro Power projects on River Kabul, if so, its possible impacts on water situation in Pakistan and the steps being taken to tackle the same? Syed Ali Zafar: So far the Government of Afghanistan has reconstructed the hydropower project destroyed during the war including Kama and some other hydroelectric plants, therefore, till to date there is no impact on the inflows in the common rivers with Afghanistan. However, there are certain new projects in the pipeline as per information gathered from different sources. After the completion 2 of the new projects there will be certainly some impact on the water inflows in the common rivers. Government of Pakistan is continuously trying to engage Government of Afghanistan into dialogue for a possible water treaty in future or at least to develop mechanism for sharing of information between both the countries in order to have knowledge about the future impacts on the flows from Afghanistan but so far Government of Afghanistan is non-responsive to the initiative by Government of Pakistan. An Afghanistan Cell has been established in the office of Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters which collects data through different sources and monitoring inflows on the common rivers with Afghanistan. (Def.) *Question No. 191 Senator Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel: (Notice Received on 13/11/2017 at 12:45 PM) QID: 33553 Will the Minister for Water Resources be pleased to state whether it is a fact that an amount 300 million has been allocated for Khazana Dam, Zimri, District Musakhel in the PSDP 2017-18 but no amount has been released out of the same so far, if so, the reasons thereof and the time by which the same will be released? Syed Ali Zafar: An amount of Rs. 50.00 million was allocated to Khazeena Dam, Zimri, District Musakhel. Planning, Development & Reform Division reduced allocation by 30% in pursuance of Prime Minister’s Office approval dated 25-4-2018. The allocated funds i.e. Rs. 35.00 million have been released to Irrigation Department, Government of Balochistan on 30th May 2018. *Question No. 39 Senator Syed Shibli Faraz: (Notice Received on 13/04/2018 at 2:20 PM) QID: 34257 Will the Minister for Energy (Power Division) be pleased to state the estimated annual amount to be collected through the current levy of surcharges @ Rs. 1.55 per unit of electricity from the consumers? Syed Ali Zafar: 1. There is no current levy of surcharge @ Rs. 1.55 per unit, however, surcharges levied / collected during FY 2017-18 upto April-2018 and projected for FY 2017-18 are as under:— 3 2. In view of the above, the average per unit rate of aforementioned four surcharges comes to Rs. 1.51 only. 3. The actual amount collected on account of above surcharges during the period July-2017 to April-2018 was Rs. 111,381/- million. 4. The estimated annual amount to be collected on account of above surcharges is Rs. 133,658 million. *Question No. 40 Senator Syed Shibli Faraz: (Notice Received on 13/04/2018 at 2:20 PM) QID: 34226 Will the Minister for Housing and Works be pleased to state: (a) the number of Federal Government officers in BPS 17 to 22 who are retaining dual official accommodations at present; (b) the number of the Federal Government officers posted abroad since 2012 who acquired official accommodations in the host country while also retaining official accommodations in Pakistan; and (c) the amount recovered from the said officers for illegal retention of accommodation in Pakistan and abroad during that period? Mr. Muhammad Azam Khan: (a) As per this office record 13 Federal Government Officers in BPS 17 to 22 are retaining dual official accommodations at present. (b) As per this office record 13 Federal Government Officers posted aborad since 2012 who acquired official accommodations in the host country while also retaining official accommodations in Pakistan is placed at Annex-I. (c) An amount of Rs. 6,506,335/- recovered from the said officers for illegal retention of accommodation in Pakistan and abroad during that period. Annex-I 4 5 *Question No. 41 Senator Syed Shibli Faraz: (Notice Received on 13/04/2018 at 2:20 PM) QID: 34223 Will the Minister for Housing and Works be pleased to state: (a) the number of Federal Government employees posted abroad who have been prosecuted through NAB or FIA since 2012 on account of retaining official accommodations in Pakistan and also acquiring accommodations in the countries of their posting; and (b) whether it is a fact that the Government has allotted fresh accommodations to the Government employees in Islamabad who have been proven to have retained dual accommodations and against whom audit paras and legal proceedings are pending on account of the same? Mr. Muhammad Azam Khan: (a) The Estate Office informed that NAB/ FIA has been requested to provide the information of the number of Federal Government Employees posted abroad who have been prosecuted by NAB / FIA for retaining dual accommodation. As and when the information is received the same would be placed before the Senate Secretariat. (b) As above. *Question No. 42 Senator Samina Saeed: (Notice Received on 16/04/2018 at 12:00 PM) QID: 34395 Will the Minister for Water Resources be pleased to state whether it is a fact that the water storage capacity of Tarbela Dam has decreased due to silting, if so, the steps being taken by the Government in this regard? Syed Ali Zafar: Yes, the water storage capacity of Tarbela Dam has reduced due to silting in the reservoir. As per results of Hydrographic Survey 2017 of Tarbela reservoir, since operation the live and gross storage capacities of Tarbela reservoir have reduced by 37.524% and 40.58% respectively. Wapda being the custodian of the Tarbela Dam Project, have conducted sedimentation studies in the years 1987, 1991, 1997,1998, 1999, 2007, 2013 6 and 2014 for evaluation of possibilities of de-silting Tarbela reservoir. The conclusion of the studies are as follows: Sediment flushing is uneconomical, technically risky, impacts on the existing infrastructure will be overwhelming resulting into increased variation in bed profile of downstream river system will impact on barrage operations with increased sediment entering the canals. Additionally, it will accompany the loss of electricity generation at Tarbela and Ghazi Barotha besides the loss of water storage for the irrigation purpose. Hence the de-silting is neither technically feasible nor economically favourable. However, the best possible arrangement will be to provide an upstream storage to catch the sediment before entering the Tarbela reservoir. There is no provision for raising of Tarbela Dam. Inflow of sediment is a natural phenomenon and cannot be prevented. However, the Govt. of Pakistan has taken steps for construction of Diamer Basha Dam which will help to reduce the inflow of silt into Tarbela dam. *Question No. 43 Senator Samina Saeed: (Notice Received on 16/04/2018 at 12:00 PM) QID: 34391 Will the Minister for Law and Justice be pleased to state whether there are any female judges in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, if so, their names and places of domicile and if none, the reasons thereof? Syed Ali Zafar: There are no female Judges in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. No specific quota is reserved for lady judicial officers for elevation/ appointment in the Supreme Court. There is also no bar on the elevation/ appointment of lady Judges in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. *Question No. 44 Senator Samina Saeed: (Notice Received on 16/04/2018 at 12:00 PM) QID: 34392 Will the Minister for Law and Justice be pleased to state whether there are any female Judges in the High Courts of the country, if so, their names and places of domicile and if none the reasons thereof? 7 Syed Ali Zafar: Yes, there are six female Judges in various High Courts. Their names and domiciles are placed at Annex-I. *Question No. 46 Senator Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah: (Notice Received on 16/04/2018 at 2:55 PM) QID: 34406 Will the Minister for Water Resources be pleased to state: (a) the names, date of appointment and length of service of the staff car drivers of Power Wind of Tarbela Dam whose services have been terminated since January, 1998 indicating also the reasons for termination of service in each case; (b) the number of the said officials who filed petitions against their terminations in the courts of law indicating also the decision given by the court in each case and present status of implementation of the same; and 8 (c) whether the said officials were granted pension and other allowances, if not, the reasons thereof and the time by which the same will be paid to them? Syed Ali Zafar: (a) The details of the staff car driver of Power Wing Tarbela Dam whose services have been terminated since January 1998 is as under: (b) (c) Pension and other allowances were not paid to the above employee because he was terminated from service on 07-02-1998.