The National Assembly was informed today that a deep sea fishing policy has been prepared in consultations with the stakeholders to uplift the fishing sector.

Parliamentary Secretary for Maritime Affairs Jamil Ahmad Khan told the house during question hour that the policy will soon be furnished before the cabinet for approval.

He said efforts are afoot to transform the fisheries sector as per the modern standards.

The parliamentary secretary said the country’s fisheries exports currently stand at four hundred million dollars. He said our target is to exploit its true potential and increase its exports to three billion dollars.

Jamil Ahmad Khan told the house that Pakistani fish is being smuggling in hundreds of tons to the neighboring countries. He regretted that previous government did not pay attention to this matter. However the present government is developing a mechanism to check the smuggling.

Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Farrukh Habib said investigation has been ordered into the tragic Tezgam express train incident in Rahim Yar Khan. He said details of the investigation will also be shared with the house.

The Parliamentary Secretary said that ML-1 will be upgraded under China Pakistan Economic Corridor project after which the speed of passenger trains on the main line will increase to 160 kilometer per hour.

Farrukh Habib said Pakistan Railways has started twenty two new passenger trains over the last one year. He said the revenue of Pakistan Railways has increased and deficit has also been curtailed. Parliamentary Secretary for Textile Aliya Hamza Malik told the house that the government has expedited work on the establishment of industrial zones in the country.

Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema told the house that work on a number of housing projects is underway under Naya Pakistan Housing Programme.

He said an allocation of five billion rupees as interest free loan has been made which will be utilized for low cost housing. He said the federal government employees will be accommodated in these housing schemes.

Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said Pakistan Railways has earned profit of four billion rupees on passenger trains.

Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri told the house that Saudi Arabia has waived 2000 Riyal fee on Pakistanis performing more than one Umrah within two years.

Parliamentary Secretary for Food Muhammad Ameer Sultan said that aerial sprays have been carried in Karachi to control the locusts. The chair also directed the federal government to fully assist the Sindh government in controlling the locusts in Karachi.

Responding to the points of PML (N) leader Khawaja Asif, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed regretted that the PML (N) is doing politics on the health of Nawaz Sharif.

He said the Prime Minister has stopped the cabinet members from issuing any negative statement on the health of Nawaz Sharif.

The Minister pointed out that former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and other members of Sharif family are absconders in different cases. Murad Saeed said it is commitment of the PTI government to build a welfare state where rich and poor are equal before the law.

Two bills have been laid before the house. These included: Islamabad Capital Territory Prohibition of Interest on Private Loans Bill, 2019 and The Control of Narcotics Substances Amendment Bill, 2019. The house will now meet tomorrow at 10:30 am.

Zahid/Khokhar