ISLAMABAD:
The absence of ministers in the Senate proceedings on Tuesday compelled the opposition lawmakers to walk out of the House twice, leading to the suspension of the session.
Expressing his frustration, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani said he would write a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan on the absence of ministers.
The minister in charge of the PM's Office told the House in a written reply that Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken notice of the adulteration in food items.
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On December 15, 2019, the premier directed the chief secretaries of the four provinces to keep a close watch on the matter.
He also directed the provincial governments to compile authentic data in this connection.
The prime minister ordered to resolve the issue of food adulteration in future.
Initially, attention would be paid to adulteration in milk, spices and cooking oil.
All provincial governments assured that food adulteration would be discouraged.
Energy Minister Hammad Azhar told the Senate that electricity was being provided to K Electric despite its liabilities of Rs200 billion. He added that a new power purchase agreement was being signed.
The report of the committee on the bill for the reorganisation of national institutes of health and federal medical education institutions and teaching hospitals was presented in the House.
In addition, the committee reports on Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal Matters) (Amendment) Act, 2021 as well as the Enforcement of Women's Property Rights Act, 2020 were also tabled in the upper house of parliament.
Railways Minister Azam Swati said the Ghotki train accident last month was a “dangerous” incident in the railways’ history.
“The tragedy is that within three years, the broken engine failed on the same track,” he maintained.
“A four-member inquiry committee has been formed to probe into the incident,” he added.
Swati claimed that during his six months as the Railways minister, the department made a profit of over Rs2 billion.
The minister further maintained that Railways was destroyed by previous governments in the span of 30 years.
The minister said he would remove black sheep from the railways and make it profitable.
The Senate proceedings were adjourned till Wednesday (today).
The terrible Ghotki train tragedy last month had left 65 people dead with more than 100 people injured.
After the mishap, the Pakistan Army said that the relief and rescue operation in the Ghotki passenger train accident had been completed.
"Train engine bogies removed from track," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release.
"Efforts are underway to open railway track after necessary repair and maintenance."
The incident occurred when a Karachi-bound train ploughed into the derailed bogies of a Sargodha-bound express near the border between Sindh and Punjab provinces in the wee hours of June 7.
It is pertinent to mention that the condition of the main line, especially Sukkur-Karachi sections, is dilapidated and has been considered dangerous for a safe train operation, as train accidents become rampant.
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