1 (18th 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 12th February, 2015 90. *Ms. Shaista Pervaiz: (Deferred on 02-02-2015) Willl the Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization be pleased to state: (a) the Government’s mechanism to determine the actual number of closed or sick Industrial and SME units at present; and (b) the regulatory mechanism for rehabilitation of those closed units? Reply not received. @6. *Ms. Musarat Rafique Mahesar : Will the Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization be pleased to state the steps taken by the Government to control smuggling at Afghan Border through Afghan Transit Trade Route? Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization (Mr. Muhammad Ishaq Dar): The main source of smuggling of goods into Pakistan is through long porous border with Afghanistan. To control smuggling at Afghan Border through Afghan Transit Trade Routes, Pakistan Customs in close coordination with other law enforcement agencies has taken following steps:- ————————————————————————————————————— @Transferred from Interior Division. 2 1. The law enforcement agency deployed at the borders, Frontier Constabulary has been given anti-smuggling powers vide SRO 1090(1)/2010 dated 01-12-2010. 2. On two major Afghan Transit Trade Routes, Customs has established check posts i.e. Khairabad and Kohat on Transit Route-I via Torkham and at Baleli on Transit Route-II via Chaman to monitor Afghan Transit Cargo and to check enroute pilferage. 3. Apart from above check posts, Customs Squads operate on major smuggling routes to seize smuggled goods. 4. Under Afghan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement, 2010 the importer as well as the carrier of Afghan cargo have to furnish bank guarantees which are released only on verification that the Transit goods have crossed into Afghanistan. 5. Tracking devices are installed on all carriers and containers carrying Afghan Transit Cargo to ensure that no enroute pilferage takes place. 6. A comprehensive anti-smuggling strategy has been chalked out. Available resources and manpower have been pooled for optimum use. The Director General (Intelligence & Investigation)-FBR is the focal agency who coordinates with other Law Enforcement Agencies to carry out anti-smuggling activities effectively. 8. *Mr. Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi : (Deferred on 02-02-2015) Will the Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economics Affairs, Statistics and Privatization be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that data/figures of poverty have neither been estimated nor released for many years; if so, the reasons thereof; (b) whether it is also fact that due to non-availability of the said data, resource distribution can not be ensured on equal basis; (c) if so, the steps being taken by the Government in this regard to ensure equal distribution of resources to various sectors? Reply not received. 3 14. *Mr. Mehboob Alam : (Deferred on 02-02-2015) Will the Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control be pleased to state whether it is a fact that after reduction of oil prices, the fares of transport have also not been reduced, so far; if so, the steps being taken by the Government in this regard? Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control (Ch. Nisar Ali Khan): No. Consequent upon reduction of oil prices from time to time i.e during the months of November, December, 2014 and January,2015,the fares of public service vehicles plying in Islamabad Capital Territory have been reduced on 07-11-2014, 14-11-2014, 03-12-2014 and 05-01-2015. Notifications with regard to reduction of fare structure of public service vehicles in Islamabad are attached as Annexure “A” “B” “C” and “D” . (Annexures have been placed in the National Assembly Library) 15. *Mr. Mehboob Alam: (Deferred on 02-02-2015) Will the Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization be pleased to state: (a) the names of Government owned institutions to be privatized alongwith the details thereof; and (b) whether it is a fact that dues of PTCL are still outstanding, despite privatization thereof; if so, the reasons thereof? Reply not received. 19. *Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho: (Deferred on 02-02-2015) Will the Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization be pleased to state: (a) the total amount of foreign aid being received for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Transient Displaced Persons (TDPs) by the Government; and 4 (b) the total amount of the said aid to be utilized by the Government to ensure their rehabilitation? Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization (Mr. Muhammad Ishaq Dar): (a) The total amount of foreign aid received for Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) in cash and kind is US $ 106.845 million (Details as Annex I). (b) The financial assistance being received from bilateral and multilateral partners for DPs is being utilized for various activities/interventions relating to relief/ rehabilitation of Displaced Persons. 5 151. *Mrs. Shahida Rehmani: Will the Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control be pleased to state the total number of terrorists killed during the last five years alongwith the year and province-wise details thereof? Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control (Ch. Nisar Ali Khan): 152. *Mrs. Shahida Rehmani: Will the Minister for Planning, Development and Reform be pleased to state the number of mega-projects initiated in Sindh during the year 2013-14 till date alongwith details thereof? Minister for Planning, Development and Reform (Mr. Ahsan Iqbal): Ten (10) mega-projects costing overall Rs. 1261 billion (each costing above Rs. 1000 million) were initiated in Sindh under federal PSDP 2013-14 and 2014-15. Details are placed at Annex-A. 6 In addition, following two Mega projects have been initiated through PSDP. (Rs Billion) —————————————————————————————— Name of scheme Cost Allocation 2014-15 —————————————————————————————— Multan-Sukkur Motorway (387 Kms) 259.0 5.5 Karachi-Lahore Motorway (959 Kms) 51.0 30.0 (Land Acquisition, Relocation of Utilities, Compensation etc) —————————————————————————————— 7 153. *Ms. Belum Hasnain: Will the Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that a simple blockade of all prepaid SIMs can lighten the workload of law-enforcers by many times; if so, the steps taken by the Government to speed up the said process; and (b) whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Government to activate new SIMs after biometric identification indicating also the steps being taken by the Government to block the illegal Sims? Transferred to Cabinet Division for answer on Next Rota Day. 154. *Ms. Belum Hasnain: Will the Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is facing lack of funds to help/deport illegal immigrants presently living in different parts of the country; if so, the steps taken by the Government to solve the said issue; and (b) whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Ministry to provide funds to FIA therefor; if so, when it will be implemented alongwith the details thereof; and 8 (c) the total number of foreigners presently residing in Pakistan alongwith the details thereof? Reply not received. 155. *Ms. Musarat Rafique Mahesar: Will the Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization be pleased to state: (a) the steps taken by the Government to reduce the prices of consumers commodities in the country in view of reduction in the oil prices; (b) if so, the details thereof? Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization (Mr. Muhammad Ishaq Dar): (a) & (b) The following steps have been taken by the government to reduce the prices of consumer commodities in view of reduction in the oil prices; The Prime Minister of Pakistan has written letters to provincial Chief Ministers to extend the benefit of reduction of oil prices to the people by lowering the transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities. The ECC also reviews inflationary trend/ prices and supply of essential commodities in its meetings on regular basis. National Price Monitoring Committee chaired by the Federal Finance Minister also monitors the prices and supply position of essential commodities in consultation with provincial governments and concerned Federal Ministries Divisions and organization on monthly basis. Pakistan Railways has reduced the normal freight by 5 percent across the board. Pakistan Railways has also reduced the fares by 5 percent for the trains including Bolan Mail, Bahauddin Zakaria Express, Fareed Express and Sukkur Express and 3 percent fares of Allam Iqbal Express, Awam Express, Karachi Express, Millat Express, Akbar Bugti Express and Jaffer Express. 9 PIA has also reduced fares for various destinations as given below:— o Umrah fares has been reduced by Rs.7,900. o 10 percent discount has been offered in economy class fares from New Yark. o 25 percent discount has been offered on business class from New York. o 20 percent discount has been offered in market for Torronto. o Upto 50 percent discount on business class fares from Pakistan to Europe, United Kingdom and North Americas. Provincial governments are also taking appropriate measures to monitor the prices and ensuring smooth supply of commodities so that the benefits of the reduction in oil prices be passed on to the common man. In response to these measures, the headline inflation measured by CPI is on downward trajectory. In January 2015 CPI has came down to 3.9 percent as compared to 7.9 percent in the same month last year. The other inflationary indicators like food inflation declined to 3.0 percent and non-food 4.5 percent as compared to 7.2 percent and 8.4 percent in the same month last year.