News
Saturday, March 19, 2011
BA takes up issues of rail service suspension, high fares of PIA
* BNP-A members say suspension of rail services a serious matter, long-term strategy should be devised to tackle issue
By Muhammad Zafar
QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly took up the issue of suspension of the rail service and higher fares being charged by the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for flights from Balochistan and the members called upon the government to resolve the issues in the interest of people.
Speaker Aslam Bhootani summoned Pakistan Railways divisional superintendent and PIA general manager in his chamber and discussed the issues with them. Soon after recitation from the holy Quran, the members offered prayers for the 45 people killed in a US drone attack at a tribal jirga in North Waziristan.
On a point of order, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) parliamentary leader, Mir Sadiq Umrani, took the floor and strongly condemned the suspension of the rail service in Balochistan. He said it would give the government a bad name hence the chief minister should take notice of the issue and ensure uninterrupted rail service in the province.
Supporting the PPP leader, Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) members Asad Baloch, Ehsan Shah, Zamruk Khan and others said that the issue must be taken seriously and a long-term solution should be found in the interest of the passengers. They also criticised the PIA for its higher fares in Balochistan, saying that the airlines charges Rs 12,000 and 13,000 from Quetta to Islamabad and for other cities in the country, while the fare is much lower for other provinces. They termed the airfares of PIA a discrimination against the people of Balochistan.
The speaker, while giving rulings, asked the assembly secretary to summon the railways divisional superintendent, and PIA general manager to his chamber and discuss the issues. He said that the issue of high fares had already been taken up with the PIA officers, but so far no decision had been taken to decrease them.
Separately, the provincial assembly unanimously passed the Balochistan Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority Bill, 2011.
The bill is meant to regulate and promote vocational training and technical education facilities in various disciplines, trades and technologies and to provide financing for training programmes and for matters ancillary or incidental thereto.
Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) lawmaker, Jaffar Mandokhel, during the question and answer session had criticised the Planning and Development Minister Maulana Abdul Wasey for his wrong strategy. “It is regrettable that the Planning and Development Department is a key ministry and had adopted the wrong path for the past three years,” he said.
He raised the issue when he found that the minister was not present in the House and said he had never given appropriate answers to questions raised on the floor of the House and Wasey mostly remained absent from the proceedings, devoting his time and energy on other issues.
However, the Balochistan chief minister, on behalf of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Minister Maulana Wasey, clarified that the minister was absent because his son had been admitted to hospital.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk