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 Wednesday, the 3rd August, 2016 @75. *Mr. Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi (Deferred during 31st Session) Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that Pakistan has participated in BRICS summit recently; if so, the details thereof; (b) whether it is also a fact that Pakistan has participated in Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit recently; if so, the details thereof; (c) the details of issues discussed in said summits alongwith the outcomes thereof; (d) whether it is further a fact that said summits have given sufficient scope to the developing countries with regard to finance and trade; if so, the details thereof; (e) the benefits likely to be accrued to Pakistan in the field of finance and trade therefrom; and (f) the mechanism put in place to safeguard the common interests of all the countries involved in said summits? @ Tranferred from Commerce Division 2 Minister for Foreign Affairs: (a) Russia hosted 7th BRICS summit and 15th SCO summit in Ufa from July 8-10-2015. Pakistan participated in the SCO summit in the capacity of Observer State. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, however, attended the outreach meeting of BRICS at the invitation of the host Russia. Addressing the BRICS outreach meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit, Prime Minister stated that Pakistan valued its interaction with BRICS, which consisted of important countries of the region and beyond. He proposed to promote mutual understanding, cooperation and goodwill through cultural, academic interaction and people to people contact. He thanked the host, President Vladimir Putin and the Government of the Russian Federation, for bringing SCO and BRICS member community together under one roof as this would go a long way in promoting inclusive and synergetic approach to economic development. (b) A delegation lead by President Mamnoon Hussain attended meeting of the Heads of State Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 23-24 June 2016. Besides participating in the plenary session of the Summit, the President also held bilateral meetings with the leaders of some of participating countries on the sidelines of the event. The President reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to SCO’s Charter and highlighted deep rooted cultural and historic links with SCO members. He stated that Pakistan would cooperate positively in SCO’s objectives of security and economic cooperation. The President also said that Pakistan aims to further strengthen its relations with the SCO after becoming a full member. Speaking at the plenary session of the SCO Summit, he underlined that signing of Memorandum of Obligations was a major step towards Pakistan’s full membership of SCO. Pakistan’s formal request for full membership in the organization was approved in principle by the Heads of State Council meeting held in Ufa, Russia in July 2015. The Heads of State Council had “agreed procedure” of accepting Pakistan as a member state of SCO with the consensus of all the founding members. 3 Prior to that, as an Observer State of the SCO, Pakistan has been making substantive contribution to regional peace, security and development. As the host of the meeting, Uzbek side called for in-depth and all-round development of SCO cooperation with all parties. The need for regional cooperation, economic development and stability of all SCO members was also deliberated upon. (c) On 24 June 2016, as SCO celebrated its 16th Anniversary, the Adviser to the PM on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sartaj Aziz signed the Memorandum of Obligations on behalf of Pakistan with the aim of obtaining fall membership of SCO at its Heads of State Summit at Tashkent. The MoO was jointly signed by the Foreign Ministers of six SCO member states, Secretary General SCO and the Advisor of PM on Foreign Affairs. Pakistan has been an Observer at SCO since 2005. It has been a regular participant in the meetings of SCO and was the first SCO Observer to apply for full membership. The expansion in SCO membership will enhance importance and relevance of the Organization as its 8 Members would represent 45 percent of the total global population. At Tashkent, President Mamnoon Hussain held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Head of State Council Summit of SCO. The two leaders discussed a broad range of issues of mutual interest. President thanked China for its support to Pakistan for becoming full member of SCO. (d) Over the course of 16 years, SCO has strengthened mutually beneficial partnership among its members in the areas of counter-terrorism, security, trade, finance, energy, infrastructure, tourism and environmental protection. SCO development strategy 2025 envisions evolving strategies in such summits which have full support of member countries. The concept of One-Belt-One-Road is a new model for regional integration and global governance. It is a blue print for regional connectivity entailing massive economic, trade, finance infrastructure and energy resource development with unparalleled economic dividends. 4 SCO has developed synergies and partnerships with other international organizations, structures and mechanisms, like One-Belt-One-Road initiative, Silk Road Fund and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to find win-win solution for all. Furthermore, SCO consults and shares Pakistan’s perspective on regional issues to SCO member states and promote better relations with all the members in accordance with the ‘Shanghai Spirit’. (e) An Agreement on the Interbank Cooperation (Association) in the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will pursue the objective of setting up a mechanism for the provision of funding and banking services for the investment projects supported by the governments of the SCO members. An Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Affairs has been concluded among the SCO member states to promote development of passenger and cargo traffic through cooperation in the custom services. Pakistan shares the perspective that connectivity and development are critical to progress, prosperity and security in the region. Hence, there is a strong support for regional connectivity projects. Under umbrella of SCO, member states assist one another by providing funds for development projects with the focus on infrastructure, construction, basic sectors, high technology, and export oriented economic sectors. SCO members also arrange pre-export financing to promote trade and economic links among the members. Members share information on potential clients and cooperation projects in the framework of this agreement while ensuring required confidentiality. SCO provides us with a platform for forging close ties with China and Russia, two economic giants in the region as well as four energy rich SCO members from these Central Asian Republics i.e. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. (f) Various Instruments of SCO have already been adopted by the member states such as Charter, Treaty on Long-term Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation and other Agreements, Conventions, and Protocols in the fields of counter-terrorism, security, combating illicit 5 trafficking of arms and ammunitions, organized crime, economic, trade, investment, finance, banking, and agriculture. This comprehensive framework takes care of common interests of all the member states. Member states of SCO are obliged under an agreement to abide by the obligations in accordance with the principles of respecting the sovereignty of each other and non-interference in each other’s domestic laws. Members have no right to perform any judicial powers and functions within the scope of the right of the other. All decisions are made through consensus and in case of disputes or disagreements members settle disputes them through consultation and negotiations. 122. *Ms. Munaza Hassan (Deferred during 32nd Session) Will the Minister for Commerce be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the large quantum of Pakistan’s trade particularly with neighboring countries is undocumented at present; if so, the reasons thereof; (b) whether it is also a fact that the Government has gaged the negative impacts of such undocumented trade on national exchequer/trade; if so, the details; if not the reasons thereof; and (c) the steps being taken by the Government in this regard? Minister for Commerce (Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan): (a) Pakistan shares borders with Iran, Afghanistan, India and China. The land border stations with these countries are as follows :— Afghanistan Border Stations: Chaman, Tarkham, Kharlachi, Tremengal, Burki, Shaheedanodand, Ghulam Khan & Tank. China Boarder Station: Sust India Board Station: Wahgah Iran Board Station: Taftan 6 Pakistan’s trade data with these countries as a whole and trade data through land border ports is annexed. (b) There is no reliable method to gauge the precise volumes of un-documented import/export of goods. No studies have been recently carried out to measure the impact of un-documented export of goods. (c) Ministry of Commerce vide SRO No. 344 (I)/2016 (Export Policy Order) and 345(I)/2016 (Import Policy Order) regulates the import/ export of goods, which are subject to certain conditions as per the provision of the said SROs. IPO & EPO are prepared in consultation with all the relevant stakeholders