ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Thursday that fifty percent outstanding payments of the media for the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government’s two year tenure have been cleared.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz told the house during question hour that the remaining fifty percent will be cleared in a week time as Prime Minister Imran Khan has given special directions on the matter. He said the outstanding amount of the last two years was 1.15 billion rupees.
The minister for information and broadcasting said the present government had not recruited any person in Pakistan Television except the top management to uplift the national broadcaster. He regretted that the institutions such as PTV, PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills were destroyed by previous governments through political appointments.
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Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said ten billion tree tsunami project is being executed in all the federating units. She said eighty four thousand Nigehbans have been employed for the protection of newly planted saplings. She said an agreement has been signed with the ministry of communication for plantation of trees along motorways and highways.
Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training Wajiha Akram said a uniform curriculum for primary level has been finalized after consultations with the stakeholders for implementation from March next year. She said the move is aimed at ensuring quality education.
Parliamentary Secretary for Aviation Jamil Ahmad Khan expressed the confidence that the European Union will soon lift ban on the PIA flight operations to their countries. He said efforts are afoot to meet all their safety standards. He said the present government should be appreciated for taking action against the pilots holding dubious licenses.
Responding to the points of PML-N Parliamentary Leader Khawaja Asif, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari recalled it was the PML-N government which had accepted the jurisdiction of International Court for Justice (ICJ) in Kulbhushan Jadhav case. She said the PTI and PPP at that time had extremely opposed this move. She said we now have to implement the ICJ decision as it has given its judgment in the case.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto opposed the promulgation of an Ordinance which allows the Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to file a review petition against his conviction and sentence.
Later, the PPP Chairman pointed out lack of quorum. On counting the House was not found in order and the chair temporarily suspended proceedings of the House.
The House will now meet again tomorrow at 11 in the morning.
