Islamabad: The National Assembly was informed Wednesday that PIA has recently signed an agreement with ABRIC Leasing Company, Ireland to acquire ATR-72-500 Turboprop on dry lease for a period of eight years.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad told the House during question hour that two aircraft have already been delivered to PIA and remaining three are expected to be delivered soon. He said these aircraft are being operated on different domestic routes.
Answering a question, Shaikh Aftab Ahmad said work on new Islamabad airport is going on rapidly and is expected to complete by next year. He said at this stage eighty-two percent construction work of the airport has been completed. He said efforts are underway to resolve the water issue in the area.
To a question, Shaikh Aftab Ahmad told the House that a committee has been formed headed by Secretary Finance to finalize the package to provide added social security protection to the families of government servants who die during service. He said the committee is actively deliberating the package and as soon as it finalizes, the package will be implemented. He said the Prime Minister wished to provide maximum facilities through this package.
Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division Usman Ibrahim told the House that the division is continuously approaching ministries, divisions and departments at federal level to ensure the implementation of mandatory job quota for disabled persons in employment in letter and spirit. He said a Resource Centre for Autistic Children has been established in Islamabad where 24 autistic children are studying and the facility will be extended for one hundred students in future.
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 Ph.D 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. He said the commission is running these programmes on permanent basis. He said quality of Pakistani universities is improving which is being recognized world over.
Replying to a question, Minister for for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique told the House that Pakistan Railways is in the process of implementing a project for computerized tracking of locomotives which will help avoid untoward incidents. He said they are endeavouring to convert unmanned railway crossings to manned railway crossings with the help provincial governments to avoid accidents on these crossings.
Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan told the House that there are reports of violation both by industries and hospitals for discharge of their effluent into water stream and open drains. He said environment protection agency is monitoring relevant industries, hospitals and manufacturing units on regular basis and punitive actions are being taken against all alleged violators.
