PML-N, PPP, MQM senators demand judicial commission to probe Sahiwal tragedy

Senator Pervez Rashid of opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Tuesday demanded the government to hold a probe into allegations that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's had employed around 300 Indians in his sugar mills without issuing them any visas.
Talking part in a debate on mini-budget in the Senate, Senator Rashid, while referring to a statement by State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan demanded the minister to name the industries as well as the names of the Indians.
"I demand the minister to name the industries as well the people who came all the way from India seeking employment in the industry of local businessman. Through the interior minister, who belongs to PTI, I want to order an inquiry against the immigration officials who allowed the Indian men to work in the industry of a local businessman without any visa.
"Every official of the Immigration Department as well as the interior minister should prove these allegations...you've [PTI] have levelled such a big allegation against the industrialists of the country. You [Ali Muhammad Khan] have levelled the allegation and you must explain it," he maintained.
Responding to Rashid, State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan categorically said that he did not mention anyone's name rather he referred to a statement made by Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri who had alleged that 300 Indians were working in Ramazan Sugar Mills, which is owned by Sharif family.
He went on to say that rules were relaxed to give visa to these Indians who are also exempted from police reporting, adding the PML-N was in power when these allegations were made but no investigation was ordered to prove them wrong.
"If someone from India, or their [Indian] agents had come here seeking job at someone's mill, and proper procedure was not followed, and Pervez Rashid, whose party was in government, should have investigated the matter," he added.
He proposed to form a parliamentary committee to probe into the matter. "I would like to recommend to hold a probe into what Qadri claimed, there should be a parliamentary panel, comprising the then chief minister Punjab, Senator Pervez Rashid and people from armed forces, as it's a sensitive matter, which should b investigated," he maintained.
On the mini-budget, Senator Rashid said, "The way this government is going to present five budgets in a year, which is supposed to be done in five years, it is set to compete its term in one year." "There is not a single relief to the people in the budget despite the government's austerity claim after coming into power, but its austerity measures proved mere slogans," he added.
"When Asad Umar was given the keys of the national kitty, he found nothing, but he should have seen the assets and the investment brought in the country as well as 13,000MW electricity produced during the five years tenure of PML-N," he added.
He questioned to name a single asset through the money borrowed after coming into power, adding Rs 9 billion were collected through cut on salaries, while Rs15 billion advertisements were given to media, which shows performance of PTI.
Referring to a speech of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, he said that "powerful quarters" could not bear Nawaz Sharif, adding the "revelation" by Qureshi was enough to expose PTI as it used to say that he was in prison for corruption.
"For me powerful quarters are the people of Pakistan who vote their representatives into power, but PTI has a totally different interpretation of powerful quarters which shows who brought them into power and put Sharif behind the bars," he maintained.
He said, "Rs 7 billion were distributed among four sectors that include fertilizer industry, banking sector, automobile industry and tax evaders but you did not bother to give a single penny to the poor man in your two relief packages, which means this government is there to facilitate the capitalist mafia."
Senator Kabir Shahi said that this budget was meant to impose taxes on cell phones. "The poor man was once again ignored as the industrialists were given relief," he added.
Senator Kalsum Perveen said that the vision of the Prime Minister still wants "sixer" as he has remained the best player of his time, but the country may not be run the ways he wants to run it as the need of the hour is to develop old Pakistan instead of dreaming of building a new Pakistan.
"There was nothing in the mini-budget for 31 districts of Balochistan. There is no power and no transmission lines, but again the government failed to fulfil its promises in this mini-budget," she regretted.
Senator Ayesha Raza said that the government does not want anything to be debated in the Parliament, adding the mini-budget is a set of package for the big industrialists. "We don't see any breakthrough in economic crisis. Where are you going to fill the current deficit by giving incentives to capitalists?" she added.
She said what the revenue impact of this mini-budget would be, adding, "Should we print more currency notes or go for further price hike. The claim of ease of doing business is also a joke."
The PTI had always criticised the amnesty scheme of the previous government, but in the mini-budget, according to Senator Farooq, it further strengthened it, and asked, "If any Pakistani who is found having property abroad, will go scot-free."
"The mini-budget is absolutely silent when it comes to circular debt...how you're going to control your circular debt? No mention of trade deficit which will have a bad impact on our exports. Tax to GDP ratio...there is a need to expand tax base, but you're rewarding the non-filers," she lamented.
Senator Siraj-ul-Haq said the government is toeing the line of World Bank and the IMF and it has failed to provide respite to the poor people of the country, adding it is printing new currency notes to hide its inability to run the economy in an amicable manner, which will also increase inflation rate in the country.
Senator Mehar Taj Roughani of PTI said the measures taken in the Finance Bill will help revive the industrial sector, which will create jobs for the youth. She stressed the need to boost Halal meat sector. She said the government believes in freedom of media and it has facilitated that sector in import of news print.
Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Sherry Rehman regarding missing of revenue collection target, State Minister for Revenue Hammad Azhar said the government is committed to providing enabling environment for economic development in the country.
He said that the current revenue shortfall stands at Rs 162 billion instead of Rs 175 billion, which will be covered in next six months, adding the government did not opt indirect taxation to avoid any additional burden on the common man.
He hoped that revenue target of Rs 4,398 billion will successfully be achieved as the government would collect revenue through enforcing Device Identification, Registration, and Blocking System on new imported mobile sets and Gas Infrastructure Development Cess.
He said shortfall impact of the measures announced in the secondary finance bill is about Rs 6.8 billion, which will be covered from allowing non-filers to purchase up to 1300CC cars with enhanced tax ratio. He categorically said that revenue shortfall does not cause economic slowdown.
Speaking on a point of public importance separately, Senator Raza Rabbani of PPP, Javed Abbasi of PML-N and Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif of MQM-Pakistan demanded to constitute a judicial commission to probe into gruesome murder of four people in Sahiwal by policemen in broad daylight.