27 items lost competitiveness in world markets since 2013: Senate told

The government conceded in the Senate on Thursday that a total of 27 items have lost competitiveness in the international markets since 2013. Minister for Commerce and Textile, Muhammad Pervaiz Malik during the question hour said that the decline was due to a combination of endogenous and exogenous factors. The items, which lost competitiveness, include cotton yarn, sugar, cement, cotton cloth, rice, leather products, furniture, gems, jewellery, footwear, and fruits.
It was a different day in the Senate, as unlike previously at least five ministers were present in the House during the question hour but the senators who had submitted questions were not around. "This is unfortunate that while ministers have made their presence here, concerned members are absent," quipped Senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, who chaired the question hour.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed expressed his ignorance with regard to the privatisation of PIA and asked Senator Usman Kakar that the minister concerned would be in a better position to response to his concerns, who had said that the PIA and other state entities must not be sold, fearing that one day Pakistan might be put on for privatisation.
Sheikh Aftab said that the chief executive officer of PIA had submitted a plan for revival of the airline and there was a plan to induct planes on dry lease as well.
The minister in-charge of Cabinet Division revealed that as many as 18 senior PIA officers have been made OSDs for disciplinary reasons and poor performance. To this, Senator Sirajul Haq said that to make such officers sit back at homes and enjoy pays and perks and privileges is like honoring them.
He insisted they must be proceeded against and awarded punishment. Sh Aftab said that making them OSDs was the first step before carrying out investigations to punish them accordingly.
Senator Kalsoom Parveen wanted to know about the fate of a PIA pilot who had to bring the plane to Islamabad but he first landed in Lahore only to drop his daughter there. She also asked if the crew involved in smuggling heroine was punished. The minister suggested her to file a calling attention notice.
Minister for Climate Change Mushahid Ullah Khan said that during the last five years, three major earthquakes claimed 748 lives, besides causing injuries to 2,731 persons. An earthquake struck Balochistan's Mashkhel area in April 2013, which claimed 15 lives and then again Awaran district of this province was hit by quake in September same year, taking 461 lives and then again an earthquake hit Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and FATA and 272 people were killed.
Minister of State for Information Technology, Anusha Rehman Khan said that the government has committed over Rs 20 billion in last four years for provision of broadband services in Balochistan. She added that the government is following a policy of providing ultra high frequency internet services to every citizen of the country. She said that such facilities are available in Mastung, Zhob, Sibi, Kalat, Awaran and other areas of Balochistan while work is under way in several other districts as well.
The minister pointed out that the government is also providing broadband internet services in three agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, while the facility would be extended to rest of the tribal belt upon security clearance.