More than 0.1m Pakistanis deported in 2 years: NA told
11 May, 2007
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khusro Bakhtiar informed the National Assembly that 1,15,762 Pakistanis were deported from 34 countries during the last two years. He said the Pakistanis were deported from Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, China, Singapore and Indonesia. The minister said that 72 Pakistanis were imprisoned in Qatar for their alleged involvement in smuggling, theft and fraud. Mahmood Khan Achakzai citing media reports that Pakistanis were beheaded in Saudi Arabia said that such incidents earn bad name to Pakistan. He urged the government to take steps in this regard. Khusro Bakhtiar said the Interior Ministry was preparing a noose for bigwigs involved in drug smuggling. Federal Minister for Narcotics Control, Ghaus Bukhsh Mahr told National Assembly that 528 foreign drug pushers were arrested during the last three years. He said 23.6 kilogram opium, 936 kilogram heroin and 322.41 kilogram hashish were recovered from the smugglers. The federal minister said that 219 smugglers were held in 2004, 146 in 2005 and 163 in 2006. Federal minister for food and livestock, Sikandar Bosan, that six projects worth 450 million rupees were underway in the country under the oil seed development board. He said a project worth Rs 186.379 million of cultivation of wild olive was underway in NWFP, Potohar and Balochistan. He said so far 215 million rupees had spent on these projects. Minister of State for Health, Shehnaz Sheikh came critical on media for showing advertisements of unqualified doctors and Hakims. She said 45 notices were issued to the agencies preparing illegal advertisements in 2005. She said 48 cases were referred to drug courts. She said 360 show cause notices were issued under Drug Act from June-December 2006. Federal Railway Minister told National Assembly (NA) that Pakistan Railways in the year 2006 earned revenue worth Rs 9762.542 million from passenger trains. He told NA on Thursday that Government is determined to boost Pakistan Railways and all-out efforts are being made to make it a profitable and efficient organisation. He told NA that at the moment after every 30 minutes trains are being run, however we are aiming after 15 minutes to facilitate masses. He said that Pakistan Express is a cheap train and its fare from Rawalpindi to Karachi is only Rs 600, which is very good and convenient for poor passengers. He said that Government is spending huge sum of money on renovation of railway tracks in the country while talks are underway with provincial government for developing railway tracks. On the other hand, Parliamentary Secretary for Women Welfare in a question hour told NA that in the last three years, 41 women have been fallen prey to bursting of stoves in the country. She said that most of the ill-fated women belong from Sindh, total number being 22 while rest from Punjab and NWFP respectively. She said that according to information gathered from Health Department Balochistan, affected women have been shifted to Burn Unit Bolan, Medical College in Quetta and being treated while details of the year 2006 in this regard from Punjab has not been received. She said that when far-reaching details will be collected, we will inform the House. Opposition termed the details as insufficient and were not satisfied with the answers adding that the House must be informed regarding all the details of the treatment as it is a serious matter. Parliamentary Secretary assured the House that Burn Centres will be set up in all the big cities of the country as Government is working thick and thin for welfare of women.
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