In a bid to reduce expenditures and enhance revenue, airports would be outsourced, revealed Civil Aviation officials while briefing a parliamentary panel here on Tuesday. Director General Civil Aviation Ali Asim Suleman revealed that 27 companies have expressed interest in outsource of airports.
This he stated while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat which met with Talha Mehmood in the chair here on Tuesday. The committee considered an advertisement pointed out by Senator Taj Haider whereby the outsourcing of the airports of the country has been advertised.
The committee while asking from Civil Aviation about losses and profits of all airports of the country directed it to present tenders, documents and other information about outsourcing of airports in next meeting. DG Suleman informed the committee that facilities given to airports would be increased and hence some of the matters are going to be outsourced aimed at increasing benefits and reducing expenditure. About 95 per cent of the world airports are being outsourced, he added.
Taj Haider said when the issue was raised in the Senate, the minister for parliamentary affairs had stated that airports would not be outsourced but on the second day, an advertisement about outsourcing of airports was given during the session. Taj Haider said that three airports including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad are earning Rs 32 billion profit and also covering losses of other airports.
The DG Civil Aviation said that airports would be outsourced and further added that only airports could not produce income, income is also produced from flights. Outsourcing would increase job opportunities and employees' salaries. Twenty-seven companies have expressed interest in outsourcing.
The Board of Investment (BoI) informed a parliamentary panel on Tuesday that seven Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have been established so far while two more would be established in Balochistan. The committee also took up Senator Nauman Wazir Khattak's question regarding the number of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) established and notified in the country so far.
Khattak said that the federal government is not taking measures for provision of infrastructure development. As per the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, economic zones to be established in all provinces. Secretary Board of Investment Azhar Ali Chaudhry said that seven economic zones have been established, including three in Sindh, three in Punjab and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Provision of gas and electricity is not in their jurisdiction. Two economic zones would be established in Balochistan but so far they have not received approval, he added.
Provincial Secretary Industries and Commerce Noor Muhammad informed the committee that Board of Investment had to provide consultant for economic zones in Balochistan, but even after the passage of seven months, consultant is yet to be provided. In co-operation with Balochistan government, one consultant would be hired. The feasibility study of Bostan and Khuzdar economic zones is yet to be conducted.
Khattak said that provinces send their proposals to Board of Investment and after getting approval from there, no progress is being made and it would be better to increase the Board's power. The secretary Board of Investment said that on the recommendation of standing committee, consultant hiring process was stared on the next day. He said that the hiring process was done with the approval of the prime minister.
The committee directed that Balochistan should take services of consultant hired by the Investment Board instead of spending extra resources on new appointment. Secretary Noor Mohammad recommended the committee to get approved a special package for Balochistan to expedite the process of setting economic zones in the province and remove the backwardness in the province.
The committee chairman said that until special relaxation is not being given to economic zones, they cannot succeed. With better infrastructure, economic zones could be succeeded, he added.
The committee directed the secretary Board of Investment to convene all the relevant institutions and come up with a comprehensive report. DG Gas Qazi Saleem said that summary about provision of gas to economic zones has been included in the Cabinet Division agenda. However, no economic zones have given application yet. The LNG would be provided to economic zones, he added.
On this, the committee chairman said that LNG is expensive and investors would not be ready for it. It would be better to give priory in provision of gas to provinces from where it is discovered. He further said that China is providing immense facilities to their investors. Pakistani government should also give incentives; otherwise, Pakistani goods would not compete and industries would be destroyed. The committee chairman directed the secretary Board of Investment to prepare a policy after reviewing the whole scenario.
The chief secretary Sindh said that 600MW electricity is being produced from wind but nobody is ready to purchase it. The committee decided to write a letter to finance minister for immediate release of salaries to daily-wage teachers in Islamabad and directed for arranging meeting of daily-wage teachers with minister for CADD about their regularisation and sought report in this regard within one week.
If teachers' problems are not resolved, an emergency meeting with Ministries of Finance, Law and CADD, FPSC and other concerned departments would be convened and final recommendations would be given. About the bill titled 'The Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Board Bill 2017,' moved by Senator Chaudhry Tanvir Khan, the committee decided to review the bill drafted by CADD on the same issue. The Ministry of CADD was directed to prepare a comprehensive bill and present it in the next committee meeting.
The secretary CADD said that finance minister has approved releasing salaries of daily-wage teachers on which the committee recommended for immediate paying of salaries.
The committee directed secretary CADD for conducting inquiry into the appointment of secretary Country and Gun Club and for presenting the report before the committee. The committee also observed that complaints are also coming about Polo Club in Islamabad Club and directed the secretary CADD to conduct inquiry in this regard.
The committee chairman said that a man has been serving for the last 20 years as secretary of Islamabad Club.
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