Senate chief voices concern over abduction of social media campaigner

Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on Thursday took notice of the abduction of fifth social activist and social media campaigner and directed the interior minister to brief the House today (Friday). The directions of the chairman Senate came following some media reports that human rights activist Samar Abbas went missing in Islamabad and this incident in fifth in a series of abductions of rights activists in a short span of 12 days.
The chair sought report about previous abductions from Lahore and Islamabad, besides the latest one. "If media reports are correct, this is a very dangerous trend of abductions within a short period of 12 days," Rabbani warned. Referring to a statement by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in Senate who had categorically stated that this was not a state's policy, Rabbani questioned if this is so then it is a matter of more concern presuming that a group is behind all these abductions.
Earlier this week, the matter was taken up on the floor of the Senate when Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had briefed the House on the measures taken to recover the abducted men. Responding to another calling attention notice moved by Chaudhry Tanvir Khan regarding open sale of petroleum products without licence, especially of petrol, which is not only violation of rules but also a severe danger to the lives and properties of common people, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that selling petroleum products without licence from the OGRA is an illegal activity and is punishable under the law.
"If such an activity is carried out anywhere, OGRA takes notice of it and the provinces have also been directed to arrest those involved into to task," he added. About Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline (IPI), he said that unless the international sanctions against Iran are completely lifted, the project could not be carried forward, adding there will be no dollar trade with Iran unless there are sanctions.
Responding to a point of public importance raised by Mohsin Khan Leghari regarding the withdrawal of subsidy on fertilisers, Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan said that the scheme was launched in 2016 at a cost of Rs 27.96 billion with equal share from the federation and the provinces. He said the amount has been exhausted and the programme was closed on last Monday, adding the federal government is in consultation with the provinces for some new initiatives for the farmers and a meeting in this regard will be held on next Monday.