State Minister for Revenue Hammad Azhar on Monday informed the Senate that a list of all the outstanding bills is being prepared as the previous government has left arrears worth Rs 5 to 6 billion to be paid to different government departments as well as the media.
"Despite huge spending, the previous government has left arrears of Rs 5-6 billion-or may be more-which also include bills of media owners [and] now I've ordered to prepare a list so that we can tell the nation why these arrears are ought to be paid," he added.
Winding up a debate on motion moved by Senator Mushtaq of Jamaat-e-Islami about a recent report of the State Bank of Pakistan that inflation may increase twofold in coming few months, he denied any such report issued by the central bank.
He said that he has expressed the confidence that fiscal deficit this year will remain below 6.6 percent, adding the tax return filing has increased by 34 percent this year, which is the highest number in last 20 years.
He said that economy is passing through a stabilisation phase and will be on path of sustainable development in the next one year, adding various steps have been taken to improve economy which resulted in reduction of trade deficit by 25 percent and current account deficit by 47 percent in the month of January.
He said the recovery in electricity bills has been improved by 2.5 percent. He said 18,000 FIRs have been registered and about 1,500 arrests were made in electricity theft cases across the country.
"We're taking steps to increase tax base and avoid indirect taxes...food inflation is likely to recede in coming days. The financial assistance from our friendly countries also helped Pakistan overcome economic crisis," he added.
Federal Minister for Postal Services Murad Saeed said that Pakistan Post has managed to increase its revenue by 212 percent in the last four months due to effective steps taken by the government.
The minister said branches of Pakistan Post have been increased to 27,000 across the country and electronic money order, export parcel services, urgent mail service, and e-commerce service have been introduced to attract more customers.
He said Pakistan Post has been facing a loss of Rs 92 billion and the government is taking steps to make it a profitable department after controlling losses by August this year.
Two bills were passed in the Senate, which included "The Day Care Centres Bill, 2018" and "The Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Interest on Private Loans Bill, 2017."
Three bills were also introduced in the House, which included "The Islamabad Compulsory Vaccination and Protection of Health Workers Bill, 2019," "The Post Office Bill, 2019" and "The Pakistan Courier and Logistics Regulatory Authority Bill, 2019."
The chair referred the bills to the standing committees concerned.
Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari said the government is absolutely not silent over the case of Pakistani prisoner Shakirullah, who was brutally beaten and stoned to death in an Indian jail.
Speaking in the Senate, she said, "It is an international issue and we are finding the most appropriate convention to register the case under international crime," adding the body parts of Shakirullah were missing after the post mortem conducted in India.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman said murder of Pakistani citizen Shakirullah, who was martyred by fellow inmates in India's Jaipur jail, should be brought to the notice of international community.
"The cold-blooded lynching and heinous murder of Shakirullah in an Indian prison should be vehemently protested and brought to the attention of international community and human rights organisations worldwide," she said.
The House offered Fateha for Shakirullah.
The opposition lawmakers also criticised Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda for saying, "if there is any other big person on this earth after Allah, its Imran Khan."
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haider of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and other opposition members said that the minister should be ashamed of himself as whatever he said is in no way acceptable.
However, the treasury benches tried to calm down the situation by saying it was a slip of tongue, and the minister has already realised his mistake and sought forgiveness from Allah, and the opposition should also forgive him.
Senator Noman Wazir Khattak said, "A slip of the tongue is no fault of the mind and those persons who mock it are very unkind."
The opposition lawmakers also staged a walkout from the House in protest against the absence of the minister. Senator Ghous Baksh Niazi of PML-N returned to the House and pointed out the quorum. The chairman adjourned the House till Tuesday (today) 3:00pm after he did not find the quorum complete despite ringing the bells for five minutes.