RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The Senate was informed on Friday that contract for procurement of 400 electronic voting machines (EVMs) and 300 biometric machines would be awarded after the intelligence agencies give security clearance about the firms/vendors, as Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed related tasks.

During the question-hour, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed said that final demonstration of these machines is yet to be performed before the Electoral Reforms Committee of the Parliament.

Once the contract is awarded to the selected firms/vendors, it will then take 10-12 weeks to deliver these machines to the Election Commission, he said, adding afterwards these would be tested in bye-elections of a national or provincial assembly seat as a pilot project.

He was replying in writing to a question raised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Mohsin Aziz.

To another query by Muhammad Azam Swati of PTI, the minister said that it is for the Parliament to amend the law to allow placing the statement of assets and liabilities of the legislators on the ECP website.

He explained that these statements under the law are required to be published in the official gazette only.

The PTI senator had asked whether or not any proposal was under consideration to restore asset details on the ECP website as the ECP had removed such details from its website.

Replying to a question, Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that the amount of circular debt was Rs321 billion on June 30 this year and that during financial year 2015, an amount of Rs1,010 billion was paid against billing of Rs1,057 billion, having payment ratio of 95.5 per cent.

He noted due to proper financial management, DISCOs are being forced to pay 100 per cent on account of power purchased. Consequently, recovery position has been improved that might be envisaged from the fact that payment to IPPs remained 102 per cent and 98 per cent in financial years 2015 and 2016 respectively.

State Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, Pir Muhammad Aminul Hasnat told the House that against the capacity of 600 personnel, the number of employees had been increased to 1923 in the Evacuee Trust Property Board and the ex-chairman has been out of country since 2013 while the case against him is being probed by the NAB and FIA.

He conceded that 5 per cent quota for minorities had not been observed in the Board but said that anything on this matter could be said only after the findings of the ongoing investigations come to surface.

Giving details of the employees, he said that presently 467 security guards, 206 peons and 198 LDCs are part of 1923-employee staff of the Board.

Sheikh Aftab replying to a question by PkMAP Senator Muhammad Azam Musakhail said that there is no grade-20 officer from Balochistan working in the Prime Minister’s Office, while those who are working belong to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.

When Senator Azam and another senator of his party Usman Kakar asked as to why no senior officer from Balochistan and FATA was posted in the PM Office, the minister explained that postings had nothing to do with quota of the provinces.

He said that presently four officers Babar Hassan Bharwana (grade-21), Dr Ijaz Munir (grade-21), Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani (grade-20) and Kamran Ali Afzal (grade-20) were drawing Rs77,430, Rs77,430, Rs65,960 and Rs65,960 respectively as transport monetisation allowance.

Law Minister Zahid Hamid replying to a question asked by Senator Azam Swati that NAB is pursuing a case against officers and officials of the Ministry of National Regulation and Services Division for their involvement in illegal increase in prices of drugs through Drug Pricing Committee and sub-committee along with the directors of pharmaceutical companies.

He noted a plea bargain application of the accused company RG Pharmaceutical was accepted by the Chairman NAB and afterwards it was approved by the administrative judge of the accountability court and total liability of Rs385.12 million was paid by the accused persons. The minister said he would check if any relief was given to consumers due to this development.

The Minister for Water and Power said that owing to certain reasons, including the damage caused to tunnel boring machines due to rock burst in September this year and others, the timeline was reassessed by all stakeholders and it was agreed that now the first generating unit of Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project would be ready for WET testing by February 01, 2018 and not by the end of July 2017.

He said the original estimated completion cost of the project for 969MW was Rs84.502 billion in PC-I, 2002. The design went through substantial changes thereafter. The approved cost was as per 3rd revised PC-I in 2015, which is Rs404.321 billion, which was under review.

After concerns expressed by a number of senators, including the ruling PML-N Senator Ch Tanvir Khan, Senator Ahmad Hassan who was chairing the proceedings during the question hour, referred the matter pertaining to the Bhara Kahu Housing Scheme Islamabad to the Senate standing committee concerned for deliberations and report.

The House was informed that a curriculum committee had been constituted to remove hate material from the syllabus of religious seminaries.

He said that festivals of different religions are also commemorated at the official level in order to promote harmony in the society.

Minister for Human Rights Kamran Michael told the House that the government had introduced legislation, including anti-rape and honour killing acts, for the protection of women folk.

He pointed out that the visiting European Union monitoring team had appreciated the various measures taken to address the issues of the minorities and women and that their concerns would be duly addressed too.