Shehbaz demands NA probe into Mohmand dam contract
NA speaker apologises to Ahsan Iqbal for barring him from attending NA session on Thursday
Shehbaz Sharif. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Friday demanded a probe into the award of Mohmand dam contract to the company of a government adviser, saying that the people of Pakistan had the right to know where their money was being spent by the government.
Speaking in the house, Sharif said that the awarding of contract to the company of Abdul Razzak Dawood, the adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, through a single bid was against the rules of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
Raising a point of order, Shehbaz Sharif requested Speaker Asad Qaiser to discuss the issue in the house. "I have no personal grudges against Dawood but the nation deserves to know how the government is spending the nation's money," he said.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president recalled that the previous parliament had discussed the construction of the Mohmand dam under the PPRA rules and pointed out that any single-bid for a tender was against the PPRA rules.
Opposition cries foul as speaker adjourns session over lack of quorum
"Contract worth Rs300 billion was awarded on a single bid besides awarding contract to a sitting government official is a conflict of interest," Sharif said. "Thus, I demand that a parliamentary committee is immediately formed on this matter," he added.
"Nation's and borrowed money is being spent blindly. The nation has a right to know where their money is being spent," he said. "A committee should be formed to review the [Mohmand dam contract] process and submit a report within a week," he told the house.
During the session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Muhammad Khan presented a resolution for the constitution of an ethics committee to amend National Assembly Rules, 2007. The committee, to be headed by the speaker, will be tasked to take action against any 'unethical' attitude of any legislator.
Through another resolution, Khan demanded of the government to declare drought-stricken districts of Balochistan and Sindh as calamity-hit areas. Speaking on the resolution, the minister said 18 districts of Balochistan and eight districts of Sindh were in the grip of severe drought.
"Some people have lost their lives due to the drought," said the resolution, adding that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and provincial disaster management authorities were providing relief items to the people in the affected areas.
Ahsan Iqbal barred from attending NA session despite ECP clearance
Khan said a national consultative workshop was being organised to provide assistance to the people of drought-hit areas of Balochistan and Sindh. The international donors were being invited to attend the workshop, he added. The resolution was passed unanimously.
Speaking on the resolution, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza said that the lower house should follow in the example of the Senate and constitute a committee on the poor conditions in the backward areas of the country.
Meanwhile, Speaker Asad Qaiser apologised to PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal for barring him from attending the assembly session on Thursday. Iqbal had been asked to leave the hall when asked to show his membership restoration notification.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had suspended membership of 332 parliamentarians, including Iqbal, for failing to submit details of assets. However, Iqbal said that the ECP had cleared his name. The speaker said that he received the ECP notification later.
During the question hour earlier, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andleeb Abbas blasted the opposition, when questions were asked about the government's performance. "Those asking us about the last five months first tell us what their foreign policy was during the last five years," she said.
"They [PML-N government] did not even have a foreign minister," she went on. "The Nawaz League government left for us a dowry of Rs30,000 billion debt. Our policy is trade, not aid," she said, adding that the agreements with Saudi Arabia are open to everybody."
Abbas said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government strengthened relations with the Middle Eastern countries. "China is cooperating with us not just on building highways but also in the field of science and technology," she added. The house was also informed that during the last five years, Pakistan earned $1.6 million through the export of human hair.
At the outset of the session, Abdul Akbar Chitrali staged a walkout in protest against low attendance of the members in the house. Later, during the Question Hour, Shaikh Fayyazud Din pointed towards lack of quorum, forcing the speaker to briefly suspend the proceedings. The house will now meet on Monday.
Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Friday demanded a probe into the award of Mohmand dam contract to the company of a government adviser, saying that the people of Pakistan had the right to know where their money was being spent by the government.
Speaking in the house, Sharif said that the awarding of contract to the company of Abdul Razzak Dawood, the adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, through a single bid was against the rules of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
Raising a point of order, Shehbaz Sharif requested Speaker Asad Qaiser to discuss the issue in the house. "I have no personal grudges against Dawood but the nation deserves to know how the government is spending the nation's money," he said.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president recalled that the previous parliament had discussed the construction of the Mohmand dam under the PPRA rules and pointed out that any single-bid for a tender was against the PPRA rules.
Opposition cries foul as speaker adjourns session over lack of quorum
"Contract worth Rs300 billion was awarded on a single bid besides awarding contract to a sitting government official is a conflict of interest," Sharif said. "Thus, I demand that a parliamentary committee is immediately formed on this matter," he added.
"Nation's and borrowed money is being spent blindly. The nation has a right to know where their money is being spent," he said. "A committee should be formed to review the [Mohmand dam contract] process and submit a report within a week," he told the house.
During the session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Muhammad Khan presented a resolution for the constitution of an ethics committee to amend National Assembly Rules, 2007. The committee, to be headed by the speaker, will be tasked to take action against any 'unethical' attitude of any legislator.
Through another resolution, Khan demanded of the government to declare drought-stricken districts of Balochistan and Sindh as calamity-hit areas. Speaking on the resolution, the minister said 18 districts of Balochistan and eight districts of Sindh were in the grip of severe drought.
"Some people have lost their lives due to the drought," said the resolution, adding that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and provincial disaster management authorities were providing relief items to the people in the affected areas.
Ahsan Iqbal barred from attending NA session despite ECP clearance
Khan said a national consultative workshop was being organised to provide assistance to the people of drought-hit areas of Balochistan and Sindh. The international donors were being invited to attend the workshop, he added. The resolution was passed unanimously.
Speaking on the resolution, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Dr Fehmida Mirza said that the lower house should follow in the example of the Senate and constitute a committee on the poor conditions in the backward areas of the country.
Meanwhile, Speaker Asad Qaiser apologised to PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal for barring him from attending the assembly session on Thursday. Iqbal had been asked to leave the hall when asked to show his membership restoration notification.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had suspended membership of 332 parliamentarians, including Iqbal, for failing to submit details of assets. However, Iqbal said that the ECP had cleared his name. The speaker said that he received the ECP notification later.
During the question hour earlier, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andleeb Abbas blasted the opposition, when questions were asked about the government's performance. "Those asking us about the last five months first tell us what their foreign policy was during the last five years," she said.
"They [PML-N government] did not even have a foreign minister," she went on. "The Nawaz League government left for us a dowry of Rs30,000 billion debt. Our policy is trade, not aid," she said, adding that the agreements with Saudi Arabia are open to everybody."
Abbas said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government strengthened relations with the Middle Eastern countries. "China is cooperating with us not just on building highways but also in the field of science and technology," she added. The house was also informed that during the last five years, Pakistan earned $1.6 million through the export of human hair.
At the outset of the session, Abdul Akbar Chitrali staged a walkout in protest against low attendance of the members in the house. Later, during the Question Hour, Shaikh Fayyazud Din pointed towards lack of quorum, forcing the speaker to briefly suspend the proceedings. The house will now meet on Monday.