Speaking on the FATA issue in the National Assembly on Thursday, Chief Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that he is a democrat and has his own opinion on the issue that should be respected and rebutted arguments.
Citing the past references, he said that tribal people have always maintained their independent status throughout the history, adding if the FATA is merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Afghanistan would object to it. He also warned if something bad happens to Pakistan due to merger of FATA with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, those supporting the reforms now would be responsible for it.
Achakzai said that the President should announce to abolish Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) in the tribal area and the government should constitute a council to review the whole reforms process. Protesting against Achakzai's remarks, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Ali Muhammad said he who wants to "talk about Kabul should go there."
Responding to Achakzai's viewpoint, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah said that FATA is part of Pakistan as per the Constitution and this Parliament could decide about its future. He said that it is totally constitutional and lawful to introduce reforms for the tribal areas. Chief Qaumi Watan Party Aftab Sherpao also agreed with the Shah's viewpoint.
About FATA reforms, President Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid said the government should not delay it unnecessarily due to two persons, Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Minister for SAFRON Abdul Qadir Baloch assured the members that the government is committed to implementing the FATA reforms and would table the bill soon in the House.
Opposition members in the National Assembly walked out from the House on the fourth consecutive day, registering their protest against the government for not tabling FATA reforms bill for the vote. Shortly after the recitation from the Holy Quran, Pakistan Peoples Party member Syed Naveed Qamar said that the opposition would not allow the government to take up the Question Hour and boycott the proceedings too till the FATA reforms bill is not tabled in the House.
However, the members from both the opposition and treasury benches also expressed their concern that the sugarcane farmers are not getting the price of their produce as fixed by the provincial governments. President AML Sheikh Rashid said that sugar mills owners are influential people while the growers are poor people and that's why they are not getting the price for their produce.
He also said that sugarcane growers are not getting the price fixed by the provincial governments as the sugar millers say that the federal government has not released them the promised subsidy. Speaking on the sugarcane issue, PPP member Nawab Yusuf Talpur urged the federal government to release the promised subsidy to the sugar mill owners; so that the farmers could get the fixed Rs 180 per 40kg.
He said the farmers are getting Rs 130 to Rs 140 per 40kg for their produce that is totally unfair, urging the government to implement the Sugarcane Control Act. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz member Rana Muhammad Hayat said that the government should press the sugar mills owners to start crushing and those owners should be arrested who do not give the price to the growers as fixed by the provincial governments.
Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan said that seven plants of urea fertilizer have been operational in the country and producing around six million tons product per annum. He said that there is no shortage of the urea fertilizer for Rabi season as 3.46 million tons fertilizer is available against the demand of 3.075 million tons.
About the DAP fertilizer, he said that 60 percent of it is imported and its price has increased $75 per ton since June this year and its price per bag may increase in the coming days. The minister also informed the House that he would present a proposal to the prime minister next week for elimination of all taxes on the fertilizers to facilitate the farmers.
Responding to another calling attention notice, Minister of State for Energy Jam Muhammad Kamal informed the House that around 85 percent of the petroleum products are imported and that's why the government has to change the prices as per the international market. He also assured the members that volume of all taxes on the petroleum products is around 39 percent contrary to the public perception of being over 70 percent.
FATA member Shah Jee Gul Afridi pointed out the quorum twice, but Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi declared the quorum was complete despite protest and objection on counting of the members by Afridi. The House also passed two bills, 'The Women in Distress and Detention Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017' and 'The Rulers of Acceding States (Abolition of Privy Purses and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill, 2017.'
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