ISLAMABAD, February 3: The National Assembly was informed on Friday that all arrangements have been made to conduct new Population and Housing Census from March 15, 2017.
Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan told the House during question hour that the process will begin at the same time across the country. He said provincial governments have appointed their representatives as focal persons for census activities and 14.5 billion rupees have been allocated for census operation.
Answering a question, there is no need to seek new loans from the International Monetary Fund since the country has stable economic conditions. He pointed out that there are over 57 billion dollars total foreign debt. He said when the present government took over the debt was two to three percent more than the limit described in Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Act and it was 63 percent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said the present government has brought it under 63 percent. He said country’s GDP has now been improved and its pay back capacity has increased.
To a question, Rana Afzal Khan told the House that out of 46 billion dollars, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project 35 billion dollars are private investment which is being extended by Chinese government to its companies for energy projects.
He said Pakistan will buy electricity from these companies. He said there are about 11 billion dollars soft loan having interest rate of about two percent. He said these loans will be spent on roads and railway projects.
Replying to a question, he said tax collection has increased by 62 percent during the last three years. He said transparency is being brought into property transactions by adopting latest technologies and principles.
On a supplementary question that some departments covering the National Assemblies budget sessions have not received honorarium announced by the Finance Minister, Speakers directed the Parliamentary Secretary to ensure payment of the honorarium to the concerned departments.
To a question, Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla told the House that FIA has launched a country wide crackdown on human smugglers and traffickers and arrested 3009 criminals since November, 2015.
He said that convictions were also made of the human traffickers by the courts. He said steps taken against human traffickers including temporary blockage of Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC), cancellation of passport and placement of their names on Exit Control List (ECL).
To a question, he said as a result of measures taken by the government there is considerable decline in terrorism incidents. Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch informed the House that rehabilitation and reconstruction work is being carried out in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) at a cost of 80 billion rupees which will be completed next year. – DNA
