Senate debates rights of provinces

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Tuesday debated the provincial rights guaranteed in the Constitution and the presidential ordinance regarding the islands of Balochistan and Sindh.

Taking part in the debate, newly elected Senator Nushrat Shaheen of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) said the incumbent government had inherited power, gas and inflation crisis. She called for provision of gas facility to the divisional headquarters on priority.

Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi of the Pakistan Peoples Party said the government had also taken loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other lending agencies.He said in the presence of Parliament, ordinances were promulgated.

He said there was hike in the prices of daily use commodities, including sugar, flour, edible oil and medicines, and urged the government to take steps for reduce the prices in order to give respite to the poor class.

Nuzhat Sadiq of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said the government should take measures to provide relief to the masses, besides giving business friendly environment to the industrialists and traders. She alleged that the opposition members were being victimized.

Referring to the energy problems, she claimed that the past PML-N regime set up power plants in record time.

Abida Azeem of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party said they would continue to raise voice for the supremacy of Constitution.

Mohsin Aziz of the Pakisatn Teheek-e-Insaf said both the PPP and the PML-N were the enemies of the nation and the country as they had nothing for their prosperity while in power for decades.

What the two parties had done for the development of Balochistan and Sindh, he questioned.

Mohsin Aziz said the country’s exports witnessed sharp increase owing to the prudent policies of present government under the able leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The factories, which remained closed for years, had again resumed their operation. "Made in Pakistan" products were being used in the developed countries, he added.

He said the construction, automobile and textile industries were booming again which would help generate thousands of employment opportunities. The PTI government would make Pakistan a real Asian Tiger country, he added.