The Senate Functional Committee on Government Assurances showed serious concerns over non-implementation of quota system and said that it is essential to mitigate grievances among smaller provinces and underprivileged areas of the country, asking the relevant ministry to take steps for implementation on it in letter and spirit.
The committee met with Senator Muhammad Tahir Khan Bizenjo in the chair here at the Parliament House on Tuesday and discussed the issues relating to quota system and construction work of the road between sectors G-13 and G-14 of the federal capital.
During the meeting, it was stressed that the ministry needs to look into the implementation of quota system in letter and spirit.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that in principal he agrees that this quota needs to be extended. He said that since business has lapsed, the bill must be reviewed once again and placed before the House. He stressed the need for the opposition to play its role in constitutional amendments.
The meeting began with consideration of a commitment made by the minister for housing and works in response to a starred question, asked by Senator Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar regarding completion of work on the double road between G-13 and G-14 within two months subject to the approval of revised PC-1. The committee was assured that work on this project would begin within a month and will be completed by February 2018.
Discussing the present status of the assurance given by the minister for communication in the Senate sitting held on January 26, 2018, the committee was informed that the whole road from Taxila to Haripur was 42.5-km long; out of which 31-km section has already been completed. For this purpose, the National Highway Authority funds were being used. The committee was assured that the road would be completed by the end of this financial year.
The meeting was attended by Senator Usman Khan Kakar, Senator Dr Asad Ashraf, Senator Asif Kirmani, Senator Krishna Kumari and senior officers of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Establishment Division and Communication Division.