The protesting lawmakers staged a walkout from Senate Wednesday against rare appearance of Interior Minister Rehman Malik, saying he wilfully avoids proceedings of the house as he had nothing to say on Karachi unrest as usual.
The senators belonging to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other opposition party senators, walked out of the house, blaming the government of not taking the law and order situation particularly Karachi and Balochistan unrests seriously.
Federal Law Minister Farooq H Naek also came under fire for not fulfilling his commitment made with the senators the other day that the prime minister will take the house into confidence and ensure peace in Karachi. Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister Hina Rabbani Khar informed the House that two top ranking officers were appointed on diplomatic posts on recommendations of former Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
In a written reply to the house, the officials were posted abroad without fulfilling the qualifying the mandatory Central Superior Services (CSS) examination. Maliha Makhdoom, daughter of commerce minister Makhdoom Amin Faheem as first secretary in Dublin, Ireland. Salis Kiani, whose qualification is intermediate, was appointed Minister Community Welfare London on the recommendation of former Prime Minister Gilani. Malik Amaad, state minister for foreign affairs told the house that he had no option but to follow the orders from the high ups.
This prompted several lawmakers and Najma Hameed and Muhammad Hamza of PML-N to suggest abolishing the mandatory CSS examination for other citizens as well if this is the criteria to appoint people at such important positions, violating the laid down rules.
The lawmakers were also shocked to learn that Pakistan sold out eight foreign missions' buildings on throwaway prices. They criticised the government for hiring buildings by selling precious buildings in several foreign countries. Hina Rabbani Khar in a written reply informed the House that Pakistan Embassy Building in Jakarta, Indonesia was sold at Rs 12.5 billion equal to $1,320,272 on February 18, 2002. Hina gave the reasons that the building was thirty years old and was in a dilapidated condition.
Building of Bangkok mission was sold at a price of $2.048 million in October 2001, Manila Embassy was sold out at a cost of $2 million in 2008, Muthaiga (Kenya) property was sold out at a cost of $363,000 and Embassy Residence at Wood Avenue in Nairobi was sold out at a cost of $650,000 in March 2007. However, the minister informed the house in a written reply that Chancery Building and Embassy Residence in Tokyo were sold under a semi-swap arrangement in 2007.
The house was also informed that Pakistan's Foreign Policy formulation takes into account vital national interests which include preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan, ensuring national cohesion and unity, promoting economic security, and eliminating militancy and extremism. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Ammad Khan told the House during question hour that the pre-requisites for an independent foreign policy are a stable democracy, and a strong economy, both of which attract foreign direct investment.
He said the main interests on the priority list of the government include development of good relations with Muslim states, neighbours and major global powers, protection of strategic interests of the nation and promotion of a progressive democratic image of Pakistan.
He said Pakistan is respected for its principled objective and independent stance on issues of global importance. He said that the strengthening of relations between Pakistan and the European Union with the commencement of the strategic dialogue and launching of the Five Year Engagement Plan is another evidence of our successful foreign policy.
The junior foreign affairs minister said that bilateral relations with the Russian Federation have turned a new page as well. He said the recent visit of Indian Minister for External Affairs, S.M. Krishna to Pakistan is a positive step towards the revival of the dialogue process and peaceful, negotiated settlement of disputes.
To a question, he said that India has released 387 Pakistani fishermen since March 2008 to September 2012. He said Pakistan on the other hand has released 1,540 Indian fishermen during the same period. He said at present, there are 21 Pakistani fishermen in Indian custody and 29 Indian fishermen in Pakistani jails. Minister for Science and Technology Mir Changez Khan Jamali has said that establishment of COMSATS Institute of Information Technology is under consideration in Fata. He said the number of scholarships for Fata students at COMSATS Institutes will be increased. He said presently the campuses of the institution are working in Islamabad, Lahore, Attock, Vehari, Wah, Sahiwal and Abbottabad.
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