Currently, no project/plan is under consideration of Pakistan Railways (PR) for the protection of the human life and to remove illegal occupants of railway lands near the railway lines, Federal Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour informed the upper house here on Thursday during question hours. He told the house that Pakistan Railway is not planning to fence railway tracks.
He further said that PR faced a loss of Rs 12.669 billion during 2007-08 as the expenditures were Rs 32.644 billion due to hike in fuel prices, regular increase in pay, allowances and pension of serving and retired staffs, increase in the mark up on foreign and domestic loans, over aged infrastructure and rolling stock, running passenger services on un-remunerative sections and the government policy of maintaining a bare minimum passenger fare and freight rates.
Federal Minister for Defence Ahmed Mukhtar while answering a question said that it is difficult for the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to change the logo on the planes as it required millions of rupees. However, changing the logo was no doubt a wrong decision, he maintained.
Answering another question he informed the house that the PIA sustained a loss of Rs 38,436 million during January-September 2008, due to unprecedented rise in fuel prices and depreciation of Pak Rupee. To another question he said that Phase-I of new Islamabad Airport was completed in 2008. The airport will be functional as per the stipulated time by the end of 2011.
Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik while replying to a query said that the culprits involved in the recent suicide attack on Marriott Hotel have been successfully traced. Four accused have been arrested while three are still at large. Challan has been filed; the vehicle used to escort the truck used in the attack has been recovered, whereas linkage with terrorist network has also been established.
Replying to another question he said that there is no proposal for establishment of Consumers Protection Authority at Federal level. However, for Islamabad district, the session court judges have been declared as 'Authority' under the Islamabad Consumers Protection Act, 1995.
Answering to another question he informed the house that the total expenditures incurred during 2007-2008 on the domestic and foreign visits made by the FIA employees are Rs 1,229,460 for foreign visits and Rs 1,166,710 for domestic visits.
Rehman Malik while answering to a question informed the house that according to the data received from Provincial Police Departments; about 3016 persons were kidnapped for ransom from January 1999 to September 2008, and out of this 198 persons were killed by kidnappers during the same period.
Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, in reply to a query said that Ex-chairman PTV Dr Shahid Masood signed an agreement on July 22,2008 with KPMG Taseer Hadi & Co, chartered Accountants for a Business Performance Review and Management Audit. However the auditors only conducted a Business Performance Review and submitted the draft report.
This draft was confidential and was to be discussed with relevant PTV authorities before finalisation. PTV is in a contact with the company for the chapter-wise comments. Since the report has not yet been discussed and finalised action against the persons held responsible, if any cannot be taken, she concluded.