The government has informed the National Assembly on Thursday that Pay & Pension Committee would be set-up shortly as summary for this purpose has been sent to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Omar Ayub Khan said this, while replying to a question of MNA Ramesh Lal.
He said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had given assurance to the government employees in his budget speech that a Pay & Pension Committee would be formed to revise the existing pay scales.
To another question, he admitted that 15 percent increase in salaries with effect from July 2004 is not being given to the employees working on contract basis.
Since the terms and conditions of contract employees, including emoluments are settled for a specific period at the time of their appointment, these settled terms cannot be revised, he said, adding that the retired civil servants, re-employed against civil posts in basic pay scales on standard terms and conditions of contract appointment are entitled to the increase.
To yet another question of MNA Fauzia Wahab, the minister of state said that the State Bank of Pakistan has granted licences to two new Micro Finance Banks, including Network Microfinance Bank and Rozgar Microfinance Bank.
He said that 1,432,412 borrowers have taken loans from Microfinance Banks.
Responding to a question of MNA Shabbir Ahmed Khan about Golden Handshake Scheme, Omar Ayub said that the Golden Handshake Scheme for the employees of nationalised banks was introduced in 1997.
It was introduced in the NBP from 1997-2001, HBL from 1997-2001 and UBL from 1997-1999 in which 27,320 people opted for retirement under the scheme. No Golden Handshake Scheme was introduced in the Finance Division, he added. Replying to a supplementary question about the privatisation of Habib Bank Limited, Omar assured the House that the privatisation process of HBL was completely transparent.
He also informed the House that the government has taken numerous steps in consultation with the State Bank of Pakistan to control the remittances through undocumented channels.
To a question, Omar Ayub said that the government has confiscated 932 vehicles during the last two years. Out of which 390 vehicles have been auctioned and 336 are under process for auction, while 206 are still under litigation.
To a question of Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, Minister of State for Trade Ahmed Yar Hiraj said that Pakistan has earned $ 28.813 million as foreign exchange from mango exports during the last three years (2001-04).
Around 55,606.37 tonnes mangoes worth $ 28.813 million were exported during this period from various airports.
He said that 44,808 tonnes mangoes worth $ 15.153 million were exported from Karachi Airport, 9,128.40 tonnes worth $ 6.774 million from Lahore Airport, 176,54 tonnes worth $ 4.640 million from Multan Airport, 1,214.43 tonnes mangoes worth $ 0.695 million from Islamabad Airport and 279 tonnes mangoes worth $ 1.551 million were exported from Peshawar Airport.
He informed the House that the government gave no direct subsidy to mango exporters during the period on the basis of "new products" under freight subsidy scheme operational since 2002-03.
He said that Rs 22.5 million was given to Pakistan International Airlines during 2003-04 from Export Development Fund for subsidising export of perishable items, including mangoes.
To a question, Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Statistics, Hina Rabbani Khar said that the World Bank and other donor agencies have not provided any financial assistance to the Sindh and Balochistan governments for reconstruction of coastal settlements.
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