Foreign investment projects: Senate panel defers private member's bill on workers' participation

A Senate panel Wednesday deferred a private member's bill for taking input from relevant quarters, as the bill seeks accommodating 60 percent of local labour in different foreign investment projects in the county. The Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Senator Sassui Palijo, deferred the Foreign Private Investment (Promotion and Protection) (Amendment) Bill 2019, moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman, until its next meeting with a view to take input from the relevant ministries and statistics division.
Besides the Foreign Private Investment (Promotion and Protection) (Amendment) Bill 2019, the committee also held discussion on the Board of Investment (Amendment) Bill 2018, stoppage of funds of the National Institute of Blood Diseases, consideration of report of low percentage of cases received in Prime Minister's Public Affairs and Grievances Wing and public petition of Malik Haroon Ramzan.
While speaking on the Foreign Private Investment (Promotion and Protection) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Sherry Rehman said that the bill recommends that 60 percent of local labour should be accommodated in different foreign investment projects in the county.
Sherry also stated that the government needs to collect data across the country to find out the ratio of the local labour, adding that different countries have legislated to induct 80 percent of local labour in the foreign investment projects. She insisted that it is important to consider the bill as it will facilitate labour to find employment and help reduce unemployment.
Sassui Palijo said that it is a highly important bill and the time has come to introduce strong legislation to provide job opportunities to locals in investment projects. She asserted that the bill was unanimously agreed in the House and would provide ample opportunity for local labour to find jobs in foreign-based investment projects. She said that this is the right of the people of Pakistan and that the Parliament must deliver.
Senator Sikandar Mandhro and Senator Mir Yousuf Badini said that this issue has been neglected for long in various sectors and must be addressed urgently for the betterment of the common people. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan informed the committee that it is imperative to prepare skilled labour and the prime minister is incessantly trying to bring foreign investment in the country.
Secretary Board of Investment said that it would be appropriate to get suggestions from the relevant ministries such as textile, industries, education, statistics, etc, so that a draft be prepared to benefit a huge proportion of the labour force in the country. Upon this, Sassui Palijo recommended that the chairman Board of Investment should brief the committee in the next meeting, adding that the members of the committee may suggest some proposals in this regard.
Considering the point of public importance regarding stoppage of funds for the National Institute of Blood Diseases, Senator Dr Sikandar Mandhro said that funds for the treatment of poor patients suffering from blood cancer and bone marrow have been stopped. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan informed the committee that this matter has been discussed in a cabinet meeting and finance minister has assured that a supplementary grant will be provided to Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal for the treatment of the poor patients.
While deliberating upon the report regarding low number of cases being received by the Prime Minister's Public Affairs and Grievances Wing from KPK and Balochistan, Ali Muhammad Khan informed the committee that a team at the Prime Minister's Office is dealing with such cases on daily basis. He said that he personally visited 10 districts of Punjab and KPK to sort out problems of common people and he will be visiting Balochistan soon in this regard. While discussing the public petition of Malik Haroon Ramazan, the secretary BoI told the committee that this is a provincial issue and only a representative from the Punjab government can provide complete details about the matter.
It was informed by an officer of the Punjab government that without providing facilities like infrastructure, electricity, gas, sewerage etc, in the village, Special Economic Zone can not be established over there. Members of the committee decided that this matter must be discussed in the presence of the petitioner.
The meeting was attended by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Senator Khanzada Khan, Senator Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Senator Taj Mohammad Afridi, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan, secretary parliamentary affairs, secretary BoI and other senior officers.