Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) would establish regional sub-offices in the areas of over 25,000 natural gas consumers, Parliamentary Secretary for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahzadi Umerzadi Tiwana told the National Assembly on Tuesday. Responding to a calling attention notice regarding set up of SNGPL's regional sub-office, she said the sub-offices of the company are established in areas having number of consumers more than 25,000 and currently there are only 10,000 consumers of natural gas in Nankana Sahib.
She said a regional sub-office of the company was working in Shaikhupura which is only 40km away from Nankana Sahib. For improving gas pressure in Nankana Sahib, she said a six inches diameter pipeline would be laid in the city after getting no objection certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Railways. As many as 16 regional offices of the SNGPL are working in the country, she informed.
The House passed the National Assembly Secretariat Employees Bill, 2018 along with amendments, the Federal Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017. The chair deferred the Tour Operators and Travel Agents (Regulation) Bill, 2018 on request of the movers, while the National Commission for Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was dropped due to mover's absence. PML-N's MNA Nighat Parveen moved the bill regarding National Assembly Secretariat employees while Dr Arif Alvi of PTI proposed amendments to the bill which were accepted by the government. Alvi said appointments from BPS-16 to BPS-19 should be made in the National Assembly through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).
The House did not take up two bills including the Acid and Burn Crime Bill, 2017 and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Section 489F). The House adopted three resolutions to reduce prices of the petroleum products, promote religious harmony and allocate land for a graveyard in rural area of NA-48, Islamabad. The House did not consider two other resolutions to control environmental pollution and provide quality services to patients in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. Responding to a calling attention notice, State Minister for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal informed the House that 94 percent of the agriculture loans have been disbursed so far and the government has given additional Rs 362 million to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rs 137 million to Balochistan and Rs 125 million to Gilgit-Baltistan.
Giving details of the disbursement, he said around 46 percent of the total funds was disbursed in Punjab, 22 percent in Sindh, 10 percent in KP and 21 percent in Balochistan. The minister said banks keep circulating the agricultural loans, adding agriculture is a devolved subject and if the members want to give subsidy on loans then this House should decide on it.
He said the banks have taken Rs 54 billion loan from the State Bank to extend the agricultural loans. Meanwhile, PPP lawmaker proposed amendments in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 which were referred to the relevant standing committee for further deliberations. The House adopted amendments in rule 52, sub-rule (2) of rule 60, rule 110, sub-rule (3) of rule 118, sub-rule (2) of rule 129, sub-rule (5) of rule 170, sub-rule (3) of rule 170 A, rule 175, sub-rule (2) of rule 198, sub-rule (3) of rule 198, sub-rule (2) of rule 200, sub-rule (4) of rule 200, rule 206, rule 210, rule 244 of the Rules of Procedure and insertion of new clause 4 in rule 66.
The House witnessed presentation of 14 reports on various legislative proposals by their respective standing committees. These legislative proposals were the Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Employment of Children Bill, 2017; the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the National Conflict of Interest Bill, 2016; the Health Insurance Scheme for Disabled Persons Bill, 2017; the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017] (Amendment of Article 37); [the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017] (Amendment of Article 160); the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2015] (Amendment of Article 63); the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017] (Amendment of Article 5); the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017] (Amendment of Article 198); the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2017; the Microfinance Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Pakistan Private Courier Regulatory Authority Bill, 2015. On behalf of chairman Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges, a committee member presented reports regarding amendments in rule 118 and rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.