Parliamentary Secretary for Textile, Commerce, Industries and
Production Aliya Hamza on Thursday informed the National Assembly
that the world institutions are hailing the relief packages announced by the government for different segments of the society during Covid-19 crisis.
Speaking in the National Assembly, she said
that Secretary General of United Nations and international media had also appreciated Pakistan’s relief package announced to provide assistance to poor people during this difficult time. She said
that due to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s debt relief call, the loans of developing countries were being deferred. She said
that s
ugar and flour crises had badly affected the country during the governments of Pakistan People’s party and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz.
The secretary said
that it was unfortunate
that PML-N and
PPP had not constituted any commission to probe different crises during their tenures. She said
that credit for making the commission to probe s
ugar and flour crises went to Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Aliya Hamza said
that it was unfortunate and not understandable
that the Sindh government had purchased 41 vehicles in the name of dealing with the locust. She alleged
that Sindh government had given Rs 4 billion subsidy for sugar in the province to Omni group.
The parliamentary secretary said Pakistan People’s Party and PMLN governments also indulged in export and import of sugar during their tenure. If the governments of PPP and
PML-N allowed export and import of sugar, and it was right step, then how it could be wrong if done by the PTI government, she added. She alleged
that former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi gave Rs 20 billion subsidy to Suleman Shahbaz.
About Pakistan Steel Mills, she said
that soon after assuming the government, the Prime Minister constituted experts’ groups for making operational plan for the steel mills. She said
that experts from the private sector were included in the groups to come up with working plan to run the steel mill. She said
that after study of the experts’ recommendations, the government included PSM in the privatization list. She said it was objective of the government to run the PSM through public private partnership for the benefit of the country and its employees.
She recalled
that Sindh government during 2015 had asked the
PML-N government to hand over the PSM to Sindh. She said
that unfortunately during
that period Sindh government did not submit any plan to the then government. Then time and again Chief Minister Sindh asked for calling the meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI) to discuss privatization of PSM but nothing happened, she added.
The secretary said
that during Pervaiz Musharraf’s government Pakistan Steel Mills was running in profit, while during the PPP government it was pushed into losses. She said it was unfortunate
that during the
PML-N government tenure, the operation of PSM totally ended.
Aisha Ghaus Pasha of PML (N) said the Covid-19 had badly affected the economy and livelihoods of the people. She asked the government to take steps for the betterment of the country’s economy.
Abdul Qadir Patel of Pakistan People’s Party criticized the government for the flour, s
ugar and petroleum products’ crises in the country.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan MNA Kishwar Zehra said
that it was unfortunate
that development needs of Karachi were being ignored.