Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Tuesday informed the Senate that Pakistan International Airline (PIA’s) flights to the United Kingdom (UK) are likely to resume within two to three months.
Replying to a calling attention notice raised by Sherry Rehman about the grounding of PIA aircrafts in the context of an unclear privatization plan, the minister said all out efforts were being made for the resumption of PIA’s flight to UK. A UK aviation team would visit Pakistan by end of January for physical examination in this regard, he added.
He said the losses of the national flag carriers have exceeded over Rs 650 billion. The process for PIA’s privatization was very transparent and all the proceeding was live telecast, he said and added that as per the law, the government rejected the bidding as it was lower than the reserved price.
He said the privatization of PIA would proceed and proper work was being done in this regard.
Ishaq Dar said that out of a total of 22 operational aircraft, 6 were included Boeing, 11 Airbus and the remaining ATR in the PIA fleet. Some 11 aircraft including six Boeing and 5 Airbus were being repaired, he added.
He said PIA was collecting around Rs 84 billion in revenue per annum from the UK and Europe through operating its flights before imposing ban due to a statement given by the then Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.
He said flights have resumed to France after the government’s hectic efforts.
Regarding improper advertisement for the resumption of PIA flights to France, the minister said that a proper inquiry has been ordered into the matter to thoroughly probe it.
Earlier, raising the issue, Sherry Rehman said that out of a total of 34 PIA aircrafts, only 19 were operational while the remaining were grounded.
South Punjab
The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, convened today to discuss the proposed amendments to Articles 1, 51, 59, 106, 154, 175A, 198, and 218 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Senator Aon Abbas, the mover of the Bill, proposed these amendments for the creation of a new province, ‘South Punjab’.
He argued that 40% of the population of Punjab resides in South Punjab. Unfortunately, the people of South Punjab lack basic facilities like health and education. Of the total 50,112 primary, middle, high schools, and higher schools in Punjab, only 13,446 schools are located in South Punjab. Of the total 2,461 basic health units in Punjab, 754 are located in the three divisions of South Punjab.
Unfortunately, the people of South Punjab have to travel to Lahore, which is 850 km away from Rahim Yar Khan, for their basic needs. He demanded that the new province, ‘South Punjab,’ be created on an administrative basis.
The members expressed different opinions on the proposed amendments, while Senator Kamran Murtaza stated that the creation of a new province will weaken the position of other provinces especially Balochistan in the Upper House of Parliament, which gives equal representation. However, Senator Hamid Khan opined that a public debate should be held on the issue, as it primarily concerns the people.
The Committee also ratified nomination of Senator Hamid Khan as member Board of Governors of the Legal and Justice Aid Authority.
The Committee referred the matter to the Ministry of Law and Justice to submit a comprehensive report on the bill, keeping in view the constitutional, financial, historical, and parity aspects of the Bill.
Furthermore, the Committee approved the report of the Sub-Committee, which was constituted to deliberate on “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Amendment of Article 106).” The Bill, introduced by Senator Manzoor Ahmad and Senator Danesh Kumar, proposed an increase in the general seats of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly from 51 to 65 due to the vast area of the province.
Additionally, the Committee deliberated on “The Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2024.” The Bill was moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri. Chairman Committee termed the bill necessary to address the plight of women and children. However, the Committee constituted a Sub-Committee to address the drafting lacunae in the Bill.
In attendance were Senators Syed Ali Zafar, Shahadat Awan, Kamran Murtaza, Khalil Tahir, Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Hamid Khan, Danesh Kumar, Aon Abbas, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Secretary for Law and Justice Raja Naeem Akbar and other senior officials from relevant Departments. inp
Key Bills
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior, presided over by Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman, convened today at the Parliament House to deliberate on critical issues.
The Committee discussed “The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024,” moved by Senator Fawzia Arshad, aimed at addressing the backlog of pending judicial cases. Senator Arshad emphasized that timely justice is a fundamental right.
Following concerns about provincial reluctance, especially from Balochistan and Sindh, the Committee decided to issue a reminder to the provinces and seek the Law Ministry’s opinion.
On the “National Occupational Health and Safety Bill, 2023,” Senator Rahman pointed out that the bill overlaps with labor laws and suggested amending existing laws rather than introducing new legislation. He recommended further consultations with the Ministry to refine the bill.
Senator Mohsin Aziz’s “Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding (Amendment) Bill, 2024” was also discussed. Senator Aziz emphasized the severity of hoarding for profit and highlighted the need for provisions regarding the spoilage of goods.
He proposed that the value of commodities be based on market value and emphasized the importance of accurate information in controlling hoarding practices. Senator Rahman recommended that ICT contribute to further work on the bill and suggested penalties for violations.
Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri’s “Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill” regarding black magic, sorcery, and witchcraft was also reviewed. Senator Mumtaz raised concerns about the identification of madaris and their leaders, stressing that poverty and social distress often drive individuals to practices like sorcery. The Chairman of the Committee recommended consulting Islamic scholars and proposed the formation of a government committee to carefully address the issue.
The committee noted that the matters related to the missing child case and the proposed merger of the Levies force with the Balochistan Police could not be discussed due to the absence of provincial officials from Balochistan.
The committee also discussed public petitions related to issues in Plot No. 287, Sector I-12/2, Islamabad, and Sector E-11. The Federation of Employee Housing Scheme in E-11 filed a public petition highlighting unresolved issues, particularly the blocked access from Iran Avenue, which has hindered smooth connectivity to the area.
The road network in E-11 is described as convoluted, with multiple U-turns and zigzags, making navigation challenging for residents. The area has raised increasing concerns about safety and security, as it has become a hotspot for illegal activities.
Residents have called for better security measures and support from the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) authorities to address these growing concerns. The Committee called for continued investigation and support from relevant authorities.
