ISLAMABAD – Speaking in the Upper House, Information Minister ChaudharyFawad Hussain said cumulative losses of state owned enterprises includingPIA, Steel Mills, PTV, PBC and Railways have reached to one trillion rupeesduring the last five years.
He said PIA has fourteen thousand employees and it incurred a loss of fortyfive billion rupees in 2017 while its overall loss is 356 billion rupees.
The Minister said PTV has ten thousand employees with a loss of ten billionrupees, if the subsidy given in bills is revoked. He said Pakistan Railwayshas seventy eight thousand employees and has a loss of 147 billion rupees.
The Minister said the loss making entities are a heavy burden on thenational exchequer.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan informed theHouse that one hundred and eighty five industrial units emitting smoke areoperating in I-9, I-10 and Kahuta Triangle areas of Islamabad.
He said thirty five steel units are also included in this number that aremajor source of air pollution.
Ali Muhammad Khan said these units are being regularly monitored byPakistan Environmental Protection Agency that has been mandated for theprotection, conservation and rehabilitation of environment in IslamabadCapital Territory.
The Minister said during a visit to the area by EPA team in August lastyear, three units were fined for non-compliance with environmentalstandards. In addition, four steel furnaces and rerolling mills were finedand sealed in June this year.
The EPA teams also inspected nineteen more steel units in July this year toensure their compliance with the standards.
Ali Muhammad Khan said a thorough debate will be held in both houses ofparliament on the issue of granting nationality to refugees living in thecountry.
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He said point of view of both the houses will be taken into account beforemaking any decision in this regard.
Speaking on the issue, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridisaid every child born in Pakistan is granted citizenship under section-4 ofPakistan Citizenship Act 1951.
Giving details of refugees living in Pakistan, the Minister said one pointseven million Bengalis, 0.325 million Burmese, and 0.035 million otherslive in the country.
He said there are one point four million registered Afghan refugees in thecountry. In addition, 0.88 million people of Afghan origin are AfghanCitizen Card Holders while 0.5 million are unregistered.
Shehryar Khan Afridi said there are millions of people who are gypsies andhave no identity card or other recognition. They also have a right to begranted citizenship on humanitarian grounds. He said the issue will bedebated in detail before making any final decision.
The calling attention notice was moved by Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmad MuhammadShahi of National Party.
Later, the house was adjourned to meet again on Friday at 10.30 a.m.
