PPP, MQM MNAs stage walkout

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Wednesday staged a token walkout from National Assembly to protest the attitude of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government and its lack of interest in revival of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).
While raising the issue of PSM on the floor of National Assembly, Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi of MQM said the government is not paying any attention to Pakistan Steel Mills. He said that the supply of gas to the PSM has been disconnected for the last 18 months and the salaries of employees are due for four months. The government did not give pension to employees so far who have been retired in 2013, he added.
He also claimed that there is no output of the PSM due to appointment of incompetent people at high posts. He said the government should announce a Rs 30 billion bailout package to the PSM for its revival. He said that union of PSM employees has also demanded a bailout package for PSM revival.
The MQM leader said the production of Pakistan Steel Mills has been stopped due to inefficiency of the federal government. He said the government should take solid measures to improve the performance of PSM.
Shazia Marri of PPP said the federal government is continuously ignoring the Pakistan Steel Mills and it should take measures for its revival.
Shah Mehmood Qurashi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said that the government should pay attention to the PSM. He said the employees of PSM have not received their salaries so far. The PSM has been closed and its financial deficit has increased to a large extent, he said. The relevant minister should brief the House about the performance of PSM, he added.
Afterward, the members of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and PPP staged a walkout from the House in protest against the attitude and lack of interest of government in the revival of PSM.
Earlier, responding to a calling-attention notice, Parliamentary Secretary for National Health Services, Farhana Qamar told the House that a proposal is under consideration to establish a cancer registry.
She said that breast cancer is spreading fast in Asia and lady health workers have been instructed to create awareness amongst women about it. She said that PC-1 has been approved for the establishment of one hundred-bed unit at PIMS Islamabad for the treatment of breast cancer patients.