The Opposition members of the National Assembly criticised the government and said that it should review economic policy and tighten its belt to provide relief to the poor and revisit its foreign policy to rein in terrorism.
While participating in the debate on Presidential address to joint sitting of the parliament which is going on for last three days, the members said that the government should take pre-emptive measures to control load shedding, price hike and meet energy shortage in the country.
Fata members also staged token walkout from the House in protest against allocating a meager sum for uplift projects in PSDP. Munir Orkazi said that the government had made commitment to allocate Rs 21 billion for development projects in Fata, but it released only RS 6.6 billion. He said that there is dire need to develop health and education sectors in Fata.
Aftab Ahmed Sherpao said that Parliamentary Committee on National Security had presented comprehensive report on law and order situation and terrorism in the country. He added that the Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani had made commitment that the government would chalk out its policy by following the report. But the government failed to implement the report, he said.
He said that as many as 375 schools have been destroyed last year and 45 this year in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa. He said that American has made a total of 103 drone attacks on territory of Pakistan by violating its sovereignty. He added that US force has made 37 drone attacks this year.
He said that the government should mould its foreign policy and play pro-active role in handling terrorism by raising the issue of drone attacks at international forums. "The US is increasing military force in Afghanistan with each passing day, but it did not control terrorism. The US should also revisit its policy about terrorism," he said.
Ahsan Iqbal of PML-N said that many public sector entities are running in deficit. He said that the President did not mention any measure to reduce deficit. "Our expenditure is more than the revenue generation. Our export is worth 19 billion dollar and import 30 billion dollar," he said. The PML-N leader questioned that what measures have been taken by the government to reduce energy deficit as nothing has been done to produce solar and wind energy.
He said that there is also water deficit in the country and added that the availability of water against consumption will remain half per capita in the country in next few years. "We have to take measures for water shed management. The government should introduce drip irrigation system in the country to bring more area under cultivation," he said.
Khurim Dastgir said that the government is increasing electricity bill to please the IMF. He said that the people are already in miserable condition due to over billing of gas and electricity but the government is not taking action against those who steal gas and electricity. He strongly criticised the foreign policy of the government and said that there is need to take it seriously. He claimed that Central Intelligence Agency of US is resorting to drone attacks in the tribal area of the country.
The PML-N leader said that the government would not be able to function if Supreme Court decisions are not respected. "The Prime Minister has no other option: either he has to save the money lying in Swiss Bank or the government," he cautioned. Zahid Hamid said that the government bulldozed the Islamabad High Court Bill and passed it in few minutes in the House.
He added that there is unconstitutional clauses in the bill about the appointment of Chief Justice of Islamabad High court, in violation of the procedure for the appointment of chief justice which has been given in the 18th Amendment." He said that Senate has reviewed the bill and made some amendments in it. Now, the bill will be brought back to the National Assembly for making it law. Sher Muhmmad Baloch, Shakar Bashir, Usman Khan and other also participated in the debate.
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