PCHR in Parliament

Text Box: During last session (April 10-25, 2008) PCHR submitted 40 Assembly Questions, 50 Resolutions, and 3 Adjournment Motions. 2 Calling Attention Notices which were listed on the agenda of the National Assembly. Assembly Questions submitted by Mr. Riaz Fatyana Will the Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights be pleased to state: whether there is any proposal under consideration to bring all discriminatory laws against minorities in accordance with international human rights standards, if so, the detail thereof; if no, steps being taken by the government to deal with discriminatory laws in the country? Will the Minister for Narcotics Control be pleased to state: (a) the total number of foreign drug smugglers arrested by the Government during the last three years) Answer: a) During the last three years total 495 foreign nationals were arrested by ANF on the charges of drug trafficking. The year wise detail is given below (b) the quantity of drug recovered from those smugglers during the said periods, Answer: b) Total 280.800 Kgs of opium, 688.894 Kgs of heroine 3509 Kgs of hashish and 3.740 kgs of cocaine were recovered from their possessions. Year wise detail is given below; (c) the punishment awarded to the said foreigners so far? Answer: c) Year wise summary of punishment awarded to those foreigners is as under; Will the Ministry for Women Development be pleased to state: whether any mechanism has been evolved to implement ILO Conventions 100, 111 by incorporating them into national laws; if so, the detail of the mechanism thereof; if no, steps being taken by the government to implement the said Conventions? Will the Minister for Women Development be pleased to state; the total number of women employees revealed/ conducted by the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in all government departments; the rate of unemployment among women during the last two years with province-wise breakup; whether it is a fact, that equal participation of women in all major fields have declined during 2006-07 with comparison of 2004-05; if so, the reasons thereof, and steps being taken by the government in this regard? Will the Minister for Minorities be pleased to state; the detail of funds allocated for development of minorities during last two years; the detail of process of project implementation, the total amount utilized thereupon along with the achievements gained; if no, steps being taken by the government for welfare of minorities? Will the Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights be pleased to state: whether it is a fact that there is no specific national law for protection of children in the country; if so, the detail of such laws; and steps being taken by the government to introduce national law relating to children thereof? Will the Minister for Women Development be pleased to state; (a) the present status of women in the country especially in terms of educational and social status-wise;

(b) the steps being taken by the Government for their development with province-wise breakup;

(c) the detail achievements gained thereof during the last three years?
Will the Minister for Education be pleased to state; whether government has any programme to increase the education budget during the current fiscal year; if so, the process of releasing funds along with the areas of funding for educational needs; steps being taken by the government to improve educational standards in the country? Will the Minister for Housing be pleased to state: whether there is any proposal under consideration to provide affordable houses to the poor, especially in urban areas, if so the detail thereof; if no; steps being taken by the government to provide affordable houses to the poor in urban areas? Will the Minister for Women Development be pleased to state: the detail funds allocated for the Gender Reforms Action Plan, the detail of objectives set by GRAP and implementation status; and the detail of funds utilized along with achievement gained? Will the Minister for Foreign Affairs be pleased to state: the gender wise number and break-up of Pakistanis imprisoned in Middle East, Central Asians and European Countries and detail of charges against them, the legal status of the those prisoners at present? Will the Minister for Finance and Revenue be pleased to state the detail of steps taken by the government to monitor and deal with price hike of daily food items in the country? Will the Minister for Education be pleased to state: the total number of professional teachers presently working in Government schools and colleges along with their incomes thereof; whether there is any proposal under consideration to set up the training institutes for the teachers, if so the time by which it will be implemented and the detail of budget allocated thereof? Will the Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education be pleased to state: the grade-wise, number of disable persons employed in private/public sector during the last three years; and the steps being taken for welfare of disabled particularly increasing their employment? Will the Minister for Water and Power be pleased to state: the names of irrigation projects in the four provinces for which the funds have been allocated by the Federal government during the year, 2006-07 along with the amount of thereof; the date of completion of those projects; and the impact of those projects? Will the Minister for Women Development be pleased to state the total number of projects for the development and welfare of Women launched during the year, 2005-06 and 2006-07 along with the value thereof? Resolutions submitted by Mr. Riaz Fatyana This house is of the opinion that the Government should take special steps to protect minorities’ rights in the country. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take special steps to review laws regarding child labour. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to review all health related laws, analyze administrative gaps and propose strategy to improve provision of quality health facilities to ordinary people. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to reform the old Prison management system and introduce a new jail manual. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to implement relevant laws to ensure equal employment opportunities for women in government and public sector at national, provincial and district level. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to involve women in labour law enforcing mechanisms to respond to the women workers issues. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to train and sensitize law enforcing agencies to protect women rights. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to define sexual harassment at work place and include it in the Constitution of Pakistan with implementation details. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to reallocate and reorganize Basic Health Units (BHUs), Rural Health Centres, Taluka/Tehsial Hospitals (THs) and District Hospitals all over the country to improve the people access to healthcare. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to establish allergy centres in all the District Headquarters Hospitals having networking with NIH, Islamabad. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to develop policy recommendations and outline steps for building public-private partnership in health sector. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps against the sellers of spurious drugs throughout the country. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take special steps to make recruitment on merit in all the government institutions. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to address price hike of daily food items throughout the country. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to bring all domestics laws in accordance with international human rights standards. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to establish an information and resource centre specified for women having information details regarding jobs and jobs policies. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to ratify core human rights treaties and devise a national policy and plan to bring human rights reforms in conformity with international standards. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to establish commissions/mechanisms at federal, provincial and district level to receive complaints of sexual harassment at work place and provide immediate relief to the victims. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to improve crime management system both in larger and smaller cities. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take special steps to counter energy crisis on urgent basis in the country. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to stop use of para-military and military forces for maintaining law and order situation in the country. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to increase exports and explore new markets for Pakistani products in different countries of the world. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take special steps to improve traffic system in big cities of the country. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to generate employment opportunities in the country. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to establish engineering and medical institutions in Northern Punjab. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take special steps to provide free transport facilities to male and female students in the country. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to eliminate three types of educational system in the country and implement one kind of educational system with one curriculum. Assembly Questions submitted by Ms. Kashmala Tariq Will the Minister for Social welfare and Women Development be pleased to state: the total number of day care centres established in the country during three year 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008 to facilitate the working women along with the facilities available therein; and the amount incurred on those day care centres during the said periods? Will the Minister for Women Development be pleased to state: the total number of official hostels for working women established in the country with the assistance of the Ministry at present; the names and addresses of NGOs running the working women hostels with the collaboration ministry along with province wise break-up and the annual grant given to each NGO during the year 2007-08; and the number of working women staying in those hostels at present? Resolutions Submitted by Ms. Kashmala Tariq Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to respect, protect, and fulfill women’s civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to bring labour laws in accordance with the provisions of ILO Convention 100 (Convention concerning Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value, 1951) and Convention 111(Convention Concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation, 1958) to which Pakistan is already a signatory. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to establish online national complaint cell for registering and addressing the grievances of working women. Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to allocate resources towards addressing discrimination and violence against women. Resolutions jointly submitted by PCHR Executives Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to place drug addicted prisoners in special facilities so that they have medical care and treatment. Members National Assembly Mr. Riaz Fatyana, Ms. Kashmala Tariq, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai, Sardar Israr Tareen, Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to clean-up the environmental degradation and to upgrade health facilities in prisons. Members National Assembly Mr. Riaz Fatyana, Ms. Kashmala Tariq, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai Sardar Israr Tareen Resolution This house is of the opinion that Government should take immediate steps to improve law and order situation throughout the country. Members National Assembly Mr. Riaz Fatyana, Ms. Kashmala Tariq, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai, Sardar Israr Tareen, Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to offer special incentives to the professional teachers presently working in different educational institutions of the country. Members National Assembly Mr. Riaz Fatyana, Ms. Kashmala Tariq, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai, Sardar Israr Tareen, Resolution This house is of the opinion that Government should take immediate steps to check the Hoarding/Black marketing of the basic commodities in the different food markets throughout the country. Members National Assembly Mr. Riaz Fatyana Ms. Kashmala Tariq Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai Sardar Israr Tareen Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to ensure freedom of media and access to information in the country. Members National Assembly Mr. Riaz Fatyana Ms. Kashmala Tariq Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai Sardar Israr Tareen Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to construct new dams to meet the energy crisis in the country. Members National Assembly Mr. Riaz Fatyana, Ms. Kashmala Tariq, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai, Sardar Israr Tareen, Resolution This house is of the opinion that the Government should take immediate steps to counter terrorism and religious extremism in the country. Members National Assembly Mr. Riaz Fatyana Ms. Kashmala Tariq Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla Sardar Talib Hasan Nakai Sardar Israr Tareen Calling Attention Notices To invite attention of the Minister for Food, Agricultural and Livestock to a matter of urgent public importance regarding non-availability of wheat/flour throughout the country, causing grave concern amongst the public. Ms Kashmala Tariq, Dr. Abdul Kadir Khanzada, Mian Raiz Hussain Pirzada, Mr. Akram Masih Gill, Engineer Amir Muqam ADJOURNMENT MOTIONS Adjournment Motion I hereby move that the proceeding of the House may be adjourned to discuss a matter of urgent public importance and recent occurrence. The matter is: “Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad started B.E Telecom progarmme in 2000. The course of this programme is in accordance with Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and Higher Education Commission Standard. The concerned administration submitted application to register the said programme from PEC. PEC inspected Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi Centers in March-April 2003, however, with some objections; it instructed concerned administration of Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, to bring the relevant programme in accordance with PEC and HEC standard. The B.E Telecom degree holders requested university administration time and again to register their degrees from PEC so that they may be able to get higher education in their subjects and jobs in government institutions to secure their future and support their families. However, the university administration after seven years is not yet able to register their degrees and the matter is still not resolved. The future of 4000 B.E telecom degree holders of Allama Iqbal University seem to be dark as Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) is not registering their degrees and until and unless PEC registers degrees of professional engineers, only then they may get higher education and jobs in the government institutions otherwise not. Both PEC and Allama Iqbal Open University are not taking any notice of the matter”. MNAs Mr. Riaz Fatyana Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla Adjournment Motion I hereby move that the proceeding of the House may be adjourned to discuss a matter of urgent public importance and recent occurrence. The matter is: “Hepatitis B virus infection is one of the major health problems in the developing countries including Pakistan. Hepatitis B and C is increasing more rapidly in Pakistan. The number of Hepatitis B carriers in Pakistan is estimated at around 10 to 12 million. This places a great burden on the government and the patients. Millions of rupees are spent on its treatment, which remains unsatisfactory in the face of limited treatment options available. It is actually far better to prevent Hepatitis B through timely vaccination. One of the local pharmaceutical companies Highnoon Laboratories Limited is marketing Heprovac B (Vaccine against Hepatitis B) prepared by China through organizing camps in different parts of the country. It is the worst type of Hepatitis B Vaccine which instead of combating Hapatitis B; spreading it. It is a CHO Cell drive vaccine which is highly detrimental to health. World Health Organization has banned the said vaccine and excluded it from the list of Internationally Available Hepatitis B Vaccines (www.who.int.). In 2002, Pakistani Intelligence Agency Raided Highnoon Camps at Madani Chawk Saman Abad and Nisar Colony, Faisal Abad. The organizers closed camp and ran away. Law executing agency recovered sub-standard medicines and other equipments and handed over to Drug Inspector of EDO Health office Faisal Abad. However, the report was kept under the carpet and did not send to the electronic and print media. Different medical research institutions of various countries carried out research and declared Heprovac B as anti-human and cancer agent. Universities of Texas, Germany and Korea have also claimed the said vaccine as sub-standard and anti-human. The research detail of some of some the countries about the said vaccine are available at following websites. www.publications.parliament.uk further search Claim against CHO cell, UK www.research.com/miscabs/chocell.htm , Research Diagnostic Inc USA, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, 13400 East shea Boulevard Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA www.biopharma.com/sample_entries/118.html, FDA, USA, MNAs Mr. Riaz Fatyana NA 94 Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla Resolution:- Mr. Riaz Fatyana to move the following resolution: This house is of the opinion that government should take effective measures to check the illegal sale of Kidneys throughout the country. Assembly Questions Q. Ms. Kashmala Tariq: Will the Minister for Education be pleased to state: a) Whether it is a fact that with the collaboration of UNICEF, a four year project has been launched for gender equality in education sector in the country; if so, the details thereof; b) The fund granted by UNICEF for the said project; and c) The procedure adopted for monitoring the effectiveness and implementation of the project? A. Reply not received Q. Ms. Kashmala Tariq: Will the Minister for Education be pleased to state whether there is any proposal to launch a programme for professional Training of the Federal Government Teachers; if so, the details therof ? A. Reply not received Q. Khawja Saad Rafique: Will the Minister for Education be pleased to state: a) The budget allocated for education sector during the year,2006-07; b) The total amount of GDP allocated for elementary education during the year; 2006-07;and c) Whether there is any proposal to increase the said percentage to 4%;if so, the time by which it will be implemented? A. Reply not received Q. Mr. Riaz Fatyana: Will the Minister for Science and Technology be pleased to state: a) The detail of funds allocated for scientific research in various fields during the last two years; and b) The total amount utilized thereupon alongwith the achievements gained? A. Reply not received Q. Mr. Riaz Fatyana: Will the Minister for Science and Technology be pleased to state: a) Whether any project for promotion of science and Technology has been established in Northern areas; if so, the details thereof; and b) the funds allocated for those projects during the years 2004-05,2005-06 and 2006-07? A. Reply not received Q. Mr. Riaz Fatyana: Will the Minister for Housing and Works be pleased to state the detail of total amount spent by Estate office, Islamabad on litigation alongwith names of lawyers and fee paid to them in each case during the years 2005-06 and 2006-07? A. Reply not received Q. Mr. Riaz Fatyana: Will the Minister for Education be pleased to state; a) The total number of present faculty teachers of the Federal Government Universities who have obtained PHD degrees from Foreign Institutions; and b) Whether their degrees have been got verified; if so, the criteria adopted thereof? A. Reply not received Q. Ms. Kashmala Tariq: Will the Minister for Interior be pleased to state; a) The total number of cases of violence against women registered in ICT,Islamabad during 2005-06; b) The number of rape cases registered in ICT, Islamabad during the said period; and c) The steps taken by the government to stop the said atrocity in ICT, Islamabad in future? A. Reply not received Q. Ms. Kashmala Tariq: Will the Minister for Interior be pleased to state the total numbers of foreigners who were imprisoned in Pakistani Jails during the year 2006-07 alongwith province-wise details thereof? A. Reply not received Q. Mr.Riaz Fatyana: Will the Minister for Finance and Revenue be pleased to state; \ a) Whether it is a fact that the prices of milk,ghee,sugar and flour have been increased substantially during period from January to May,2007; b) If, so the details and reasons of the said price hike; and c) the steps taken by the Government to control the said price hike? Q. Mr.Riaz Fatyana: Will the Minister for Health be pleased to state; a) The names of life saving medicines being provided in Federal Government hospitals at present; and b) the total amount incurred on the purchase of those medicines during the year2006-07? A. Reply not received