NA passes ICT Local Govt Bill, 2015

Bill was moved by Minister of State for Interior, and has been passed by the Senate with amendments

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly passed on Wednesday the Local Government Body Bill, paving way for local elections in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

The Bill was moved by Minister of State for Interior Muhammad Balighur Rehman and has been passed by the Senate with amendments.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar confirmed that the government accepted all recommendations given by the opposition on this piece of legislation in the Senate.

A ruling to amend clause 25-b was also passed by Deputy Speaker Javed Abbasi, whereby a youth candidate must be over the age of 25 to hold a seat.

Earlier, the National Assembly was informed the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government spent Rs4 billion on various publicity campaigns.

Although complete details have not been released, Information Minister Pervez Rashid confirmed in the Assembly that the large amount was spent by the PML-N government between June 2013 and June 2015.

"The government spent Rs2.5 billion on print media and Rs1.3 billion on electronic media," he added.

Read: Political necessity: Govt spent Rs113m on media campaign

MNA Sajid Nawaz has sought details of the amount spent on advertisement and publicity campaigns by the PML-N government in its tenure.

Further, the ministry clarified that its department does not have the mechanism to ascertain the usefulness of advertisements.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Punjab government spent Rs113.4 million on a publicity campaign during Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s long-march and sit-in.

The Punjab government had run a publicity campaign to highlight its development projects.

PIA signs agreement with ABRIC Leasing Company in Ireland 

Further, the National Assembly was told that the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has recently signed an agreement with ABRIC Leasing Company in Ireland to acquire ATR-72-500 Turboprop on dry lease for a period of eighty years.

“Two aircraft have already been delivered to PIA, while the remaining three are expected to be delivered soon,” Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad told the session. The three aircraft are set to operate on different domestic routes.

Aftab confirmed that 82 per cent of work on Islamabad’s airport has been completed and that work on the airport is progressing rapidly.

A committee has been formed, to be headed by the finance secretary, to finalise a package to provide added social security protection to the families of civil servants who die during service.

The committee is actively deliberating the package which will be implemented shortly, he told the session. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif aims to provide maximum facilities through this package.

Further, divisions and departments at federal level are being approached to ensure the implementation of a mandatory job quota for disabled persons in employment, Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division, Usman Ibrahim, told the House.

"A Resource Centre for Autistic Children has been established in Islamabad where 24 autistic children are studying and the facility will be extended for 100 students in the future," Ibrahim said.

On education, Minister of State for Education and Professional Training, Muhammad Balighur Rehman, informed the House that the Higher Education Commission is implementing three programmes for hiring highly qualified and acclaimed PhD scholars; and foreign professors of any nationality--except India and Israel--including Pakistani nationals serving abroad to render their services in the country.

These programmes include short-term foreign faculty hiring programme, visiting scholar programme and talented Pakistanis abroad programme. Rehman confirmed the quality of Pakistani universities is improving and is being recognised all over the world.

Responding to a question, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique told the House that Pakistan Railways is in the process of implementing a project for computerised tracking of locomotives which will help avoid untoward incidents.

Read: Senate passes ICT Local Government Bill 2015

He said they are endeavouring to convert unmanned railway crossings to manned railway crossings with the help of provincial governments to avoid accidents on these crossings.

The Government is also set to adopt a mechanism to reduce the price of fertilisers within fifteen days to facilitate farmers, Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said.

"The government is also making efforts to reduce the cost of production of agricultural products," he added for which Rs20 billion subsidy has been announced in the budget on fertilizers.

He concluded that the GST on pesticides has been lowered and duty on import of machinery has also been reduced, confirming that the agriculture community is facing problems internationally.