The National Assembly was informed on Monday that there was no proposal under consideration to import wheat from India.
Indian wheat is suffering from a 'Kernal Bunt'. Therefore, import of the (diseased) commodity could create serious problems for wheat crop in Pakistan, Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar told the House in response to a query by Muhammad Pervaiz Malik.
Most of the questions were not taken up during Question Hour because of protest by opposition against President Pervez Musharraf holding two offices.
In his written reply, Humayun said that if the use of 'Islamic' names for products was considered objectionable and its continued use was likely to injure public feelings, the issue would be taken up under existing criminal and civil laws.
In reply to another query he said that the government had earned $ 589,000 from 2,809 tons orange exports during last three years.
He further said that there was no proposal under consideration to effect 100 percent increase in exports up to 2005.
The minister informed the National Assembly that the Board of Export Development Fund had sanctioned an amount of Rs 36.55 million to promote export of fruits from Chitral district.
Answering a question by Azra Fazal Pechuho, the Minister of State for Finance, Omar Ayub, said that wheat export has been banned to meet the domestic requirements and import of one million tons wheat was underway, which is expected to be completed by the end of November, or early December.
Additional one million tons wheat is likely to be imported to build up strategic reserves and to discourage private sector to manipulate the market. This will help in reducing the prices of wheat and flour in the country, he added.
Omar further said that import of essential items has been liberalised to augment supply and preventing price hike.
The government is monitoring the prices of wheat and wheat flour on daily basis, he added.
Responding to a question by Sherry Rehman, he denied increase in poverty during the last three years. He said that the rising trend in poverty has been arrested and reversal has begun, according to a recent survey.
He said that Meezan Bank and Al-Baraka Islamic Bank are presently offering Islamic banking services in the country.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar said that the government has received grant of $ 22.58 million from foreign countries and other donor agencies to improve the existing educational system.
Giving details of the grant, she said that $ 5.21 million was received from European Union, $ 3.02 million from Norway, $ 1.86 million from United Kingdom, $ 0.20 million from United Nations Fund for Population, $ 12.06 million from World Food Program and $ 0.23 million grant was received from Islamic Development Bank.
She informed the House that the government has signed $ 7.621 million loan agreement with Islamic Development Bank for 'Chagai Water Management and Agricultural Development Project'.
The repayment period of the loan is 25 years and there is no interest on it, but service charges of 2.5 percent per annum are to be paid by the government.
Answering to a question by Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, the Minister for Privatisation and Investment, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, said that Sindh Alkalis was privatised and sold to employees management group for Rs 152.299 million.
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