National Assembly approves Rs 76.69 billion 11 demands for grants of Interior Ministry: 153 cut motions of Opposition rejected

The National Assembly on Thursday approved a total of 11 demands for grants amounting to Rs 76.69 billion by the Interior Ministry and rejected 153 cut motions tabled by the opposition lawmakers. The National Assembly also approved six demands for grant of Rs 7.35 billion of Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage and two demands for grant of Rs 4.3 billion of Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
The opposition parties did not move any cut motion on the demand of ministries of Information and Food Security. The government has rejected all 153 cut motions moved by opposition parties on the demand of grants for the Interior Ministry. The House approved Rs 36 billion for Civil Armed Forces, Rs 15.6 billion for Pakistan Rangers, Rs 7 billion for Frontier Constabulary, Rs 1.18 billion for passport organisation, Rs 6.36 billion for Islamabad, Rs 1.675 billion for Narcotics Control Division, Rs 2.815 billion for other expenditure of Interior Division, Rs 3.855 billion for development expenditure of Interior Division etc.
The House also approved Rs 5 billion for other expenditure of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Division, Rs 224.4 million for Directorate of Publications, Newsreels and Documentaries, Rs 528 million for Press Information Department, Rs 639.4 million for Information Services Abroad etc while two demands of Rs 3.235 billion and Rs 1.07 billion were approved for National Food Security and Research Division and development expenditure of the Division, respectively.
While discussing demands of Interior Ministry, the opposition members severely criticised the performance of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). They said that there was a need to restructure the FIA and make it front-line authority to conduct inquiries of mega corruption scandals.
Shagufta Jumani of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) said that the Ministry had ailed to control the law and order in the country. She said that the government should take measures for the protection of the rights of minorities in the country. Sheikh Rashi Ahmed said that the police were not competent to fight against terrorists. He said that the government should improve the capacity of police department and provide it the latest weapons.
Munaza Hassan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called for restructuring of FIA, saying that competent officers should be appointed in the agency. She said that FIA should play its role in controlling human trafficking. She said that there was a need to improve the performance of NADRA department. Asif Hasnain of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) claimed that as many as 22 officers have been promoted out-of-turn in Narcotic department.
State Minister for Interior Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman while winding up the debate said that law and order was the responsibility of the provinces. However, he said that federal government was playing its due role to improve security situation in the country. He said that in previous five years, many arms licenses were issued and their records were set on fire. He said that the process of renewing licenses was facing delayed due to verification of the licenses. He said that the government was working to bring all intelligence agencies under one roof to ensure effective co-ordination among them. He said that the government was appointing officers of good reputation on merit in FIA and other departments.
While discussing the demands of Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Shah Mehmood Qureshi of PTI said that agriculture sector was being ignored continuously in the country. He said that economic progress of the country was not possible without developing agriculture sector, as it is the backbone of country's economy. He said that the government was giving facilities and relief to industrial sector in total disregard to agriculture sector.
He said that food processing industry was not promoted and there was no water storage system in the country. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan while winding up the debate said that agriculture was the base of economy and the government was making all-out efforts to make it profitable sector. He said that the growth of wheat stood at 4.4 percent, sugar 4 percent, rice 22.8 percent and maze 7.3 percent during current year however the growth of cotton was less than the previous year.
He said that as many as three bills relating to seed, craft, pesticide and establishment of food plants would be approved for the development of agriculture sector. He said the cabinet had already approved two bills and third bill would be approved soon. He said that the government had announced to give Rs 14 billion subsidy on fertilisers for the relief of the formers. He said that the government would try to withdraw customs duty on latest machineries for agriculture.