Senators criticise metro bus project, laptop scheme

 

ISLAMABAD: Senators across the aisle on Wednesday objected to the Rawalpindi metro bus project and laptop scheme and called for concrete policies and sufficient allocations of funds to fight terrorism, poverty and increasing joblessness.
One senator complained that the spending on water reservoirs was equal to the funds earmarked for the metro bus project while another Rs55 billion had been allocated for the Lahore-Karachi Motorway. The government was asked to instead complete the Lowari Tunnel project as soon as possible. The government was criticised for missing out on almost all the macro-economic targets, as reflected in the Economic Survey 2013-14. The senators laid emphasis on more allocations for building water reservoirs.

The House offered Fateha for the departed soul of Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri and paid tributes to the veteran Baloch leader for his services for democracy and the rights of the people of Balochistan.

Taking part in the budget debate, former provincial finance minister and leader of the Awami National Party Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel proposed that all employees of military, the judiciary, civil servants and private employees, including doctors, lawyers and FBR officers, must file their tax returns.

“The FBR officers who decline to file their returns should be suspended and put in jails. How can they ask others to pay taxes when they themselves don’t do so?” he asserted. He questioned the government’s claim of presenting a pro-poor budget and noted that while duty on 1800cc car had been withdrawn, motorbike parts had been taxed.

The senator reminded the government former premier Shaukat Aziz had promised to release Rs62 billion for lift I and lift III of the Chashma Right Canal but this was never released after it was proved that the Punjab had charged water tax from farmers for the water supply provided by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa free of cost.

He said that if efforts to crush terrorism in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa failed, then people would have two options: either to grow long beard and join the Taliban ranks or migrate to the Punjab and other provinces as IDPs.

Adeel painted a grim security picture of Peshawar and other parts of the province and challenged Imran Khan to bring back his sons and get them admitted to the best provincial school and stay in Peshawar himself for a month to understand how serious the law and order situation was.

He said as against Rs110 billion arrears in the context of net hydel profit from 1990-91 to 2004-05, the federal government should pay Rs56 billion as interest to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He regretted that the capped net Rs6 billion hydel profit had not been paid to the province for the last one year.

Senator Muzaffar Hussain Shah of PML-Functional urged the government to sign a separate agreement with India for the protection of Pakistani farmers’ interests. He wanted fiscal powers for the Senate that existed even at the time of Basic Democracy and said this was vital to strengthening the system and making the Federation viable.

The senator contended that senators should also be given representation in the Public Accounts Committee to oversee the implementation of the budget. He also proposed the formation of joint parliamentary standing committees of key ministries for quality legislation and saving time, as was done in India.

He disputed the perception that parliament was supreme and recalled the House privilege committee had summoned a senior officer five times, but he had declined to oblige. “There is nothing in the budget for the 50 percent Pakistanis, who are poor. Moreover, there has not been enough increase in the salaries of the government employees while inflation has increased massively,” said Senator Abdul Rauf of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.

He called for the revival of the Quetta-Zhob rail service to solve the travel problem of hundreds of thousands of people. He noted no uplift steps had been mentioned in the budget for the smaller provinces.

PPP’s Usman Saifullah pointed out that the stability of Pak rupee was made possible only after obtaining loans from abroad. He claimed two families had 18 percent shares in the Karachi Stock Exchange and there had been 1-2 billion dollars increase in their income.

He reminded the ruling PML-N it was mentioned in its manifesto that a separate energy ministry would be established but there had been no progress in this context even after a year.

Senator Talha Mehmood of the JUI-F claimed that massive landsliding was being witnessed in the Mian Charr village and the Geological Survey of Pakistan had called for immediate evacuation of the population and for building of concrete walls to prevent a disaster even bigger than the Attaabad Lake.

PPP’s Dr. Karim Khawaja said the burden of fiscal deficit had been shifted to the salaried class while relief had been given to the affluent. He said the budget lacked any strategy to fighting poverty and joblessness.

First Pakistani metro train to run in Lahore

 

SHANGHAI: The first metro train in the history of the country will run in Lahore. The historic 27-kilometre-long elevated mass transit project will cost $1.6 billion and is aimed at facilitating the commuters through the city.
Pakistan and China on Thursday signed the framework agreement on the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project.Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif signed the pact from Pakistan’s side at a ceremony, which was also witnessed by President Mamnoon Hussain and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chairman of the Chinese National Development Reforms Commission signed the pact.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz said that the metro train would be a unique project and a milestone in Pakistan’s history. He further said that the metro train project would facilitate the commuters.

The train route will start from Ali Town to Thokar Niaz Baig, from Multan Road to Scheme Mor, Chowburji, MAO College, Mall Road, Lakshmi Chowk and Railway Station, from Garhi Shahu Bridge to GT Road and UET and from Pakistan Mint to Dera Gojran.

He said the project would begin by the end of this year and Chinese authorities would invest, design, construct and monitor the project.

Nawaz, Shahbaz spend little time at Pindi Metro launch

ISLAMABAD: The auspicious day of March 23 was specifically chosen for the groundbreaking of the grand Metro Bus Service (MBS) project by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to give a message that the present government wants to realize the dreams of the forefathers of the homeland.

However, guests at the impressive ceremony held near Flashman’s Hotel, the starting point of the MBS, including the sitting federal and provincial legislators, the defeated candidates of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), members of the civil society and the elite of town were disappointed as neither the prime minister nor the chief minister spared even a few moments to mingle with them as they had been doing in the past. Several bureaucrats also waited in vain for at least a handshake by the prime minister to mark their recognition.

“It was on such occasions that we used to get an opportunity for a brief chat with the prime minister otherwise it is now almost impossible to have a one-on-one meeting with him,” a ruling party MP remarked to The News. “This policy needs to be reviewed.”

Both Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were in a hurry. They came, saw a few minutes’ documentary on the MBS, deliveredSharif were in a hurry. They came, saw a few minutes’ documentary on the MBS, delivered their written and extempore speeches and quickly left the scene. It was clear from their arrival and departure that they were hard-pressed because of time and had a lot to do elsewhere. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was no different. He came with them and quickly left with them. He has become much preoccupied because of talks with the Taliban.

The prime minister had a very busy schedule on Sunday and could not manage to squeeze time to mix with the guests at the MBS ceremony.At 8 in the morning, he chaired a meeting on the forthcoming talks of the government committee with the advisory council of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), then attended the Pakistan Day function at the Presidency, and subsequently presided over the MBS function before going from here straight to the airport to fly abroad to attend a conference.

Those who have been attending such functions of Nawaz Sharif for years during his previous governments say that he was always easily accessible on these occasions. The security concerns now weigh heavily on every mind and are apparently a major hurdle in his mingling.

However, both the brothers delivered passionate speeches, bemoaning the wastage of time and resources by their predecessors. The prime minister also said that some small countries, which were far behind Pakistan a few decades, have now gone far ahead of our country because of development and progress due to the sincerity of the leadership.

Conversely, he stated, successive rulers pushed Pakistan into deep abyss. Terrorism is one such menace created by them, he said. In the last 65 years, Pakistan has not progressed much due to their wrong approaches and strategies.

Workaholic Shahbaz Sharif has publicly announced to complete gigantic MBS project in just ten months, which would be a sort of rare record. Though the project is presently estimated to cost Rs44.5 billion, it would certainly involve considerably more public money. Development work amounting to approximately Rs5 billion would have to be executed every month to meet the deadline.

The prime minister lauded the capability and capacity of Shahbaz Sharif and said the chief minister has proved his talent by completing the Lahore MBS in a record period.The chief minister conceded that he had not correctly estimated the share of the Punjab and federal governments in funding the MSB. It was early 50-50 formula. But he said he has now come to know that his government will have to spend increased funds, and therefore, he requested the prime minister to hike the federal share to which Nawaz Sharif agreed.

The officials of the federal and Punjab government, who would be supervising the project, would be required to be extra vigilant and watchful, and may have to spend sleepless night as the chief minister is expected to spend much of his time in looking after each and every stage and detail of the project with his physical presence here. If he did not do so, it can’t be completed in ten months.

It will be a great challenge for Shahbaz Sharif, whose government, however, surpasses all other provincial administrations due to its good governance and efficiency. The officials who have worked with him in Punjab know his style of work and had been coming up to his expectations, but no such culture exists at the federal level since long. Many heads may roll for inefficiency as work on the MBS project proceeds.

ECNEC approves Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved on Saturday the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project (Islamabad portion) at a total cost of Rs 23.839 billion.

According to the decision, the Federal Government would contribute Rs 13.419 billion whereas the rest of the amount, Rs.10.419 billion, would be chipped in by the Punjab Government.

The ECNEC, which met here at the Prime Minister office with Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in the chair, approved the Metro Bus Project subject to clearance of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by the competent authority.

The Islamabad portion comprising 13.9 kilometers, would include Peshawar Mor Interchange as designed by the Capital Development Authority and 14 bus stations with allied facilities.

The Metro Bus System will be a world class facility being provided to the residents of twin cities, as per international standard and as per the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

The construction of long awaited Peshawar Mor Interchange under this project will go a long way in redressing the congestion problem at this intersection, provide relief to the people, and help in smooth flow of traffic during peak hours.

The project will start from I J Principal Road at Faizabad where Rawalpindi portion terminates, and after traversing through IJ Principal Road, 9th Avenue, and Jinnah Avenue, will finally terminate at Pakistan Secretariat.

The project envisages construction of 13.9 KM long dedicated signal free corridor of 9.60 to 10.10 meters width at normal section and from 19.00 to 21.10 meters width at Metro Bus System (MBS) stations and tranches in Islamabad territory.

It will be capable of accommodating articulated buses running simultaneously in both directions.

The meeting was attended by Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning and Development, Anusha Rehman, Minister of State for Information Technology, federal secretaries and senior officials from federal and provincial governments.