CPEC projects in Gwadar: Government asked to protect ownership rights of local people

The Senate Monday asked the government to take measures to preserve the demographic balance and ownership rights of local population of Gwadar and protect the same against the expected large-scale migration into Gwadar in the wake of CPEC projects. The House, which met with Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani in the chair, passed a unanimous resolution which was moved by Senator Kauda Babar, urging the government to take certain steps in the wake of projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gwadar.
"This House is of the opinion that while, it is imperative to embrace opportunities of the 21st century brought about by the CPEC, it is equally important to safeguard the ownership and inherent rights of the people of Gwadar," reads the resolution.
Keeping the development and protection of rights of the people of Gwadar in view, the House recommended that the government should take effective steps to protect and promote the rights of local fishermen and provide them alternate sources of income under the CPEC in case they lose their livelihood as a result of any project of CPEC.
It also called upon the government to take steps for provision of vocational and other training to the local people of Gwadar in order to bring them up to the requirements of the modern times and enable them to cope with the challenges and opportunities to be brought by the CPEC.
The House also asked the government to coordinate with the provincial government of Balochistan to promote education in the area under the umbrella of CPEC and take necessary measures to ensure that local people are given preference in skilled labour force and to ensure maximum recruitment of unskilled labour force from amongst the locals in all projects of CPEC in the area.
The House also asked the government to take measures to preserve the demographic balance and ownership rights of local population of Gwadar and make legislation, if required, to protect the same against the expected large scale migration into Gwadar in the wake of the CPEC projects.
The House also adopted a resolution, moved by Senator Ateeq, recommending that the government should ensure the availability of essential lifesaving medicines in the hospitals under the administrative control of the federal government and should also make it mandatory for the administration of those hospitals to display the lists of such medicines for the information of general public.
Through another resolution moved by Senator Javed Abbasi, the House recommended that the government should take immediate steps for the creation of Hazara Electric Supply Company.
While speaking on the resolution, Leader of the House Shibli Faraz said that the government has planned to restructure all the electric power distribution companies (Discos).
The House also passed a bill further to amend the Federal Universities Ordinance, 2002 [The Federal Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2017], moved by Senator Mian Mohammad Ateeq Shaikh. The bill is aimed at making it mandatory for the universities under the federal government to keep internship for the students as mandatory part of the curriculum.
Another bill moved by him for amending the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 2010 [The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2018] was referred to Standing Committee of Law and Justice with comments by the Chair to report back to the House within a week.
Senators belonging to Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), earlier, raised objection on the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2018, as they demanded that opinion of the Islamic Council of Ideology should be taken before passage of the bill. They also pointed out lack of quorum in the House and the quorum bells were rung for five minutes and later the Chair declared the House to be in order.
Three private members bills were also introduced and referred to the committees concerned. These included the bill to amend further the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 [The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2018], which was moved by Senator Nasebullah Bazai. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2018], moved by Senators Sirajul Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed, and the bill to provide compulsory blood test for proposed spouse for Thalassaemia [The Compulsory Blood Test of the Spouses and proposed Spouses for Thalassaemia Disease Bill, 2018], moved by Senator Mian Mohammad Ateeq Shaikh.