Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said the government is taking all possible measures to ensure a drug free society in the country.
He was responding to a question during the Question Hour in the National Assembly on Friday. The Minister said the Anti-Narcotics Force regularly conducts raids against drugs traffickers.
He, however, urged parents and administration of educational institutions to keep a vigilant eye to protect children from the menace of narcotics. He also stressed the need to launch an awareness campaign in the media to counter narcotics.
The Minister said the federal government has allocated funds to create awareness among masses about the menace of drugs through films and dramas.
He further informed that Pakistan has bilateral engagements with counter-narcotics authorities of partner countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Iran.
He added that thirty-seven Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) have been signed for cooperation with other countries to curb narcotics while MoUs with twenty-nine countries are under process or under revision.
Replying to another question, he said a smart city App in the name of ‘My Islamabad’ is being launched to provide all kinds of facilities to the citizens on a touch of a button.
Answering a question, Attaullah Tarar said the feeder route F-11 will start from I-16 to N-5 Metro Station and is expected to be operational by January next year. This will connect I-16 to Islamabad and Rawalpindi through Orange Line and Red Line Metro Bus services.
Responding to a Calling Attention Notice, the Minister for information and Broadcasting said the government is focusing on bringing down the electricity tariff.
He pointed out that additional subsidy was given to power consumers during this summer season. He said contracts with five Independent Power Producers (IPPs) have been terminated.
While, he said, contracts have been negotiated with eight IPPs. He said this will help bring down the electricity prices which will have positive impact on the economy as well.
The Minister also laid before the House two bills. These are The Naturalization (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and Pakistan citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Responding to a question, Parliamentary Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination, Kiran Dar said the federal government is committed to promote game of hockey in the country. She said the government provides financial grants to the Pakistan Hockey Federation for the promotion of the game.
The Parliamentary Secretary said revival of departmental sports is a priority to attract new talent towards sports to ventilate the financial sufferings of sportspersons.
She added that departments like Pakistan Armed Forces, Higher Education Commission, WAPDA, Railways, Federal Board of Revenue, ZTBL and Police have been requested to provide quota in jobs to sportsmen.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly on Friday passed a unanimous resolution, reiterating Pakistan’s full diplomatic, political and moral support to the people of Kashmir for their right to self-determination.
The resolution was moved by Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam on the 77th anniversary of Indian invasion of Kashmir on 27th October 1947.
The House stressed that durable peace in the South Asia depends on the resolution of Kashmir dispute as per the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Rejecting Indian attempts to alter demographic structure of the disputed territory, the resolution condemned the incarceration of thousands of political workers and ban on different political parties of Kashmir.
The House pointed out that farcical elections in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) cannot be a substitute to the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people.
The resolution demanded India to improve human rights situation in IIOJK, release all political prisoners, lift ban on political parties, revoke draconian laws and implement UN Security Council’s resolutions on Kashmir. The House will now meet again on Monday at 5:00 pm.