Property encroachment issue: Senate body to summon ETPB chief, admin Nankana Sahib district
The committee also directed Power and Petroleum Divisions not to issue NOCs for installation of electricity and gas meters on encroached land.
The committee met under the chairpersonship of Nuzhat Sadiq, MNA in Parliament House on Wednesday.
The committee was apprised that 14,000 residential and commercial units have been built on the ETPB land in District Nankana Sahib causing loss to the national exchequer.
The committee was further apprised that operations had been launched against the encroachments; however, to make it meaningful involvement of elected representatives of the district would provide useful assistance and valuable advice.
The additional secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs informed that the ETPB had initiated various measures that include hiring of services of the Survey of Pakistan and SUPARCO for physical survey of all the properties and acquiring their satellite imagery. He said that regular anti-encroachment drives had been initiated apart from initiation of disciplinary action against ETPB officials for their delinquency in their duties.
The committee, while discussing assurance regarding massive/unannounced loadshedding and over billing in Karachi, directed for engagement with elected representatives to sort out the issues.
The committee was also of the view that a new electricity provider would encourage healthy competition and enhanced service delivery in Karachi.
The committee also reiterated its earlier direction for sticking to the approved loadshedding plan and zero un-announced power outages.
The KESC official apprised that menace of power theft through hooked connections and non-payment of electricity dues was hindering smooth supply of electric power to the residents of Karachi especially the Lyari area. He informed that local representatives at UC level had been engaged to persuade people to come under metering net, however, all the efforts were unfruitful. He informed that as per directions of the committee, approved schedule of loadshedding was being followed and loadshedding in wee hours had been discontinued. The committee decided to take up the Assurance in its next meeting.
The committee, while discussing implementation report regarding establishment of office of Protectorate of Emigrants at Abbottabad, appreciated the prompt compliance by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis. The committee also discussed and disposed of Assurance regarding establishment of transformers repairs workshops at district level by electricity distribution companies.
The committee directed the Power Division to pass on directions to all the DISCOs to adopt friendly posture towards its subscribers and initiated steps for enhanced service delivery.
The committee, while taking up the Assurance regarding provision of free medical treatment to cancer patients, directed the Ministry of National Health Services to expedite the submission of summary for approval of the Federal Cabinet.
The Director General Health apprised that Letter of Intent had been signed with M/s Roche for provision of medical treatment to cancer patients in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) on 73 percent contribution of M/s Roche and 27 percent by the Government of Pakistan.
The committee decided this while discussing assurance by education minister to address the grave issue of out-of-school children, decided to visit educational establishments in the ICT to physically verify the measures initiated by Ministry of Federal Education though the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) to address the issue of out-of-school children. The additional secretary Ministry of Federal Education and director general FDE apprised the committee about the steps taken to bring children into schools.
The meeting was attended by Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs; MNAs, Raja Qamarul Islam, Muneeba Iqbal, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Shagufta Jumani, Shahida Rehmani, Sofia Saeed Shah, Haji Imtiaz Ahmed Choudhry, Shafqat Abbas, and Muhammad Arshad Sahi; Mover Mian Ghous Muhammad; Secretary Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Additional Secretary Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, and other officers.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
9 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
Hajj to cost a pilgrim in range of Rs1,150,000 to Rs1,250,000: govt
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs projected that the next year's Hajj will cost a pilgrim in the range of Rs1,150,000 to Rs1,250,000. This was stated by Ministry of Religious Affairs Secretary Dr Syed Ataur Rehman, while chairing the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs. The committee was informed that the 64,000 pilgrims who were supposed to perform Hajj through private tour operators but unable to perform Hajj because of delay and lack of coordination between the Ministry and Saudi Government, dot not have to pay additional amount to perform Hajj. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Mohammed Yousaf said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif already told the ministry to give priority to those pilgrims who were unable to perform Hajj because of change in policy by the Saudi Government which the ministry was unable to implement on time. On this issue, Senator Aon Abbas presented the report of the sub-committee on the findings and reasons which deprived large number of pilgrims managed by private tour operators from performing the Hajj. He said in the past, 902 tour operators used to provide services to pilgrims but this year the Saudi Government reduced their number to 42. He said those 42 tour operators did not have the capacity to manage such a huge number of pilgrims. He said the restriction of State Bank to provide foreign exchange only up to $0.3 million to tour operators also caused lot of problems for them. Apart from this, the attitude of the Ministry of Religious Affairs was not cooperative towards the tour operators, he added. He said the DG Hajj because of unprecedented powers was not answerable to anyone. Senator Aon Abbas, in his recommendations, said that the committee should directed the ministry that from now on, the DG Hajj should be appointed on merit and he must be familiar with Saudi culture and must know Arabic. He said the committee and the ministry should also urge the State Bank to increase the buying limit of dollars for the tour operators from $0.3 million to $1 million. Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said that the government should have taken Shia and other Ulemas on board before barring pilgrims from travelling to Iraq and Iran by road for this year's Arbaeen pilgrimage due to regional security concerns. He said thousands of Zaireen had already deposited billions of rupees to tour operators for the pilgrimage to holy places in Iran and Iraq. He said the air fare for Iran and Iraq is very high which the majority of pilgrims cannot afford. Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Mohammed Yousaf said that the Interior Ministry made this decision after consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Balochistan Government, and key security agencies. He said that the restriction is based on safety and national security concerns linked to threats along the land routes. He said despite the ban on road travel, the government will facilitate pilgrims through air travel. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to arrange as many flights as possible to accommodate Zaireen in the coming days. Officials said the decision aims to ensure public safety while allowing religious pilgrims to continue their journey by other means. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
9 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
Cabinet approves National AI Policy 2025
ISLAMABAD: In a decisive move towards digital modernisation, the Federal Cabinet on Wednesday, unanimously, approved the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2025, aimed at aligning the country with global technological advancements, fostering an AI-driven ecosystem, and generating employment opportunities. The Federal Cabinet, which met here with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair, unanimously approved the National Artificial Intelligence Policy 2025. The policy seeks to establish a comprehensive AI ecosystem — in a bid to reshape the country's economic future and global competitiveness. Reform of the Hajj policy was another key decision of the day, with the Cabinet endorsing the Hajj Policy 2026, which mandates a fully digitised pilgrimage operation for pilgrims beginning in 2026. The prime minister directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to overhaul logistics, introduce real-time monitoring, and deploy upgraded digital tools – including a revamped Pak Hajj mobile app, digital wristbands, and integrated SIM cards – to ensure transparency and high-quality service delivery. The policy allocates 70 per cent of the pilgrimage quota to the government and 30 per cent to private operators. Companies that failed to meet their obligations during the previous pilgrimage season will be required to accommodate the affected pilgrims in the upcoming cycle. To enhance accountability, the Cabinet also mandated third-party validation of all Hajj operations, a competitive system for selecting support staff, and the introduction of emergency compensation mechanisms. A minimum of 2,000 pilgrims per private firm is now required, and 1,000 seats will be reserved for hardship cases. The digital transformation of the Hajj process will be jointly led by the ministries of Information Technology and Religious Affairs, under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister's Office. As for the AI policy, officials briefing the Cabinet said it sets an ambitious agenda: training one million AI professionals by 2030, developing 1,000 home-grown AI products, and supporting civic innovation through 50,000 AI-driven public service projects. The plan includes annual AI scholarships, inclusive financing for women and persons with disabilities, and two new government-backed investment vehicles – an AI Innovation Fund and a Venture Fund – aimed at encouraging private sector participation. A newly formed AI Council, guided by a national Master Plan and Action Matrix, will oversee implementation and ensure compliance with international standards on data protection, cyber security, and ethical AI use. 'Our youth are our greatest asset,' said the prime minister. 'By investing in AI, we are investing in the future of this country – in jobs, in services, and in global relevance.' In addition to these major reforms, the Cabinet also ratified decisions from earlier meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation and the Committee on Legislative Business held earlier this month. At the outset of the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif announced that Pakistan will dispatch two consignments of food aid to Gaza, aiming to provide relief to the besieged population amid the ongoing conflict. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
8 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Cabinet approves Hajj policy 2026: govt-private quota set at 70:30
The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Wednesday approved the Hajj Policy 2026 with a focus on full digitization of Hajj operations and enhanced pilgrim facilitation. As per the new policy, Pakistan's total Hajj quota for 2026 will be distributed with 70% allocated to the government scheme and 30% to private Hajj operators, officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs informed the cabinet. The prime minister lauded the digitization efforts, saying that ensuring seamless services for pilgrims remained a top priority. He directed the Ministry of Religious Affairs to strictly implement the policy and ensure transparency and convenience for all intending pilgrims. Umrah or Hajj: Govt seeks CII's guidance on 'Mehram requirement' for female pilgrims Key features of the Hajj policy 2026 include: Full digitization of the Hajj process with real-time monitoring of applications, payments, and services. Third-party validation of both public and private Hajj operations. Minimum quota of 2,000 pilgrims per private operator to ensure accountability. 1,000 seats reserved for hardship cases. Accommodation, meals, SIM cards, digital wristbands, and emergency compensation for all pilgrims. Upgrade of the Pak Hajj mobile application for training, complaints, and payment tracking. It was also disclosed that private companies responsible for mishandling Hajj 2025 arrangements will be required to accommodate affected pilgrims in 2026. The cabinet unanimously approved the policy and appreciated the efforts of relevant ministries and officials involved in its formulation. The Prime Minister also directed the Ministry of IT to support the Ministry of Religious Affairs in ensuring complete digitization of Hajj operations
