Construction work on six- lane Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9)

The National Assembly was informed Thursday that construction work on six lane Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) will be started in March next through public-private partnership.

 During the question hour, Parliamentary Secretary for Communication Chaudhary Saeed Iqbal said that contract of the project has been awarded to a company with the task to complete it within fifteen months.

Parliamentary Secretary said that Hassanabdal-Mansehra Expressway will be completed in two phases and the Asian Development Bank has agreed to finance this important project. The process of land acquisition has been started and Federal Government has released funds to the provincial government for this purpose. Construction of phase-I Hassanabdal-Havelian is expected to commence in October next subject to release of funds.

 He said that the Motorway portion at Kallar Kahar will be realigned at a cost of six to seven billion rupees to avert serious traffic accidents there.

Responding to a supplementary question, he said the National Highway Authority has constructed 1130 kilometer roads in different provinces during the last two years.

  Parliamentary Secretary Nawab Liaquat Ali Khan informed the House that negotiations with two Chinese companies are underway for manufacturing mobile phones in the country. He said there is no bar on the local companies to manufacture the mobile sets.

  The House was also informed that seven thousand nine hundred and seventy development schemes proposed by the parliamentarians have been completed during the last few years. The parliamentarians had proposed thirteen thousand eight hundred and five (13805) development schemes and work on the remaining projects is underway.
 

Responding to a call attention notice moved by Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhary, Federal Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin said a comprehensive plan has been prepared to effectively tackle the floods in future. He said due to climate change, floods have become a yearly feature and a Federal Flood Commission has been formed to deal with the flood like situation.

He said the provincial governments need to be equipped with technology and resources to drain out the flood water to the sea. Work on Diamer Bhasha Dam has been started while small dams are also being constructed to reserve water for other purposes.

 The Federal Minister said that despite financial constraints the Federal and the Sindh Governments are making all out efforts to provide relief and assistance to the flood affected people.

Responding to another call attention notice moved by Mian Abdul Haq Mian Mitha, Federal Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin said that the government is being unique incentives to all domestic and foreign investors including overseas Pakistanis to invest in different sectors in the country. He said the foreign investors without any binding can take hundred per cent of their produce out of the country.

Responding to a point of order, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah said the government is serious to address the energy crisis and provide relief to the masses. He said the energy committee is holding regular meetings to find permanent solution of the problem.
The Minister said the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan and Karachi situation will also visit Quetta shortly to furnish recommendations for improving the situation there.

Syed Khurshid Shah said the credit goes to the Parliament for reviving the Constitution in its original form and ensuring the provincial autonomy.

The MQM members also staged walk out from the House over the protocol being given to the former Sindh Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza.

 The House passed two bills. These were: The Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2011 and The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2011.

 Law Minister Maula Bukhsh Chandio moved the bill to amend the Islamabad High Court Act 2010 while Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah moved the bill to further amend Pakistan Penal Code 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898. SANA