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ISLAMABAD: The Senate unanimously passed a resolution on Monday urging the government to formally include water disputes in the agenda for talks with India.
“The house calls upon the government to include all water disputes of Pakistan with India in the composite dialogue or in any other talks or dialogue process that is revived or initiated with India,” says the resolution moved by Senator Sughra Imam of the PPP.
Interestingly, the members insisted that the resolution should be passed despite the announcement by Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq that the government had already made water issues a part of the agenda of the dialogue with India.
The Senate also passed the Civil Servants (Amendments) Bill, 2014, barring the civil servants from working for international organisations during their service.
The members from across the divide supported the bill, which had also been moved by Sughra Imam as a private member. The members were of the view that civil servants or bureaucrats must have their undivided loyalty to the country.
“A civil servant shall not serve an international organisation, international non-governmental organisation, international financial institution or foreign donor agency during his service,” says a newly-inserted Clause 10-A in the Civil Servants Act, 1973.
The PPP senator said that she had moved the bill to stop the practice of civil servants serving abroad after taking leave. They thus get double benefit and block the way of other aspirants to the civil service.
Speaking about water disputes with India, Haji Adeel of the ANP termed the Indus Water Treaty the root cause of the nation’s water woes.
Sughra Imam said Pakistan ranked 31st among the most stressed countries in terms of water resources and, therefore, steps were needed to stop India from violating the water treaty.
“If this issue is not included in the agenda for talks, it can lead to further conflicts,” she said. The PPP senator said the timing of the release of water in the rivers at present was totally under control of India and the issue was critical in terms of food security in Pakistan.
Talha Mehmood of the JUI called for seeking the help of the international community in preventing India from violating the water treaty.
The PML-Q’s Mushahid Hussain asked the government not to show haste in granting MFN status to India and wait till a new government was installed in New Delhi this year.
Later winding up a debate on the motion moved by PPP’s Farhatullah Babar on the LNG export, the Minster for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said that no contract had so far been signed with any country for the purchase of energy and all such reports appearing in the media were speculative.
About the Pakistan-Iran gas project, the minister said the only hurdle was the sanctions on Tehran and they had told Iran to link this project with lifting of sanctions. “If the sanctions are lifted, the Iranian gas will be in our system within 30 months,” he said.
Moving the motion, Mr Babar had raised questions about the construction of a new LNG terminal at Port Qasim in Karachi as well as the price at which LNG was planned to be imported from Qatar.
The Senate also passed a resolution recommending the government to make arrangements for vocational training of prisoners and educational facilities for children in jails.
The proceedings were adjourned during a discussion on the issue of privatisation of PIA when the opposition members pointed out lack of quorum.
Senate calls for taking up water disputes with India - DAWN.COM
“The house calls upon the government to include all water disputes of Pakistan with India in the composite dialogue or in any other talks or dialogue process that is revived or initiated with India,” says the resolution moved by Senator Sughra Imam of the PPP.
Interestingly, the members insisted that the resolution should be passed despite the announcement by Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq that the government had already made water issues a part of the agenda of the dialogue with India.
The Senate also passed the Civil Servants (Amendments) Bill, 2014, barring the civil servants from working for international organisations during their service.
The members from across the divide supported the bill, which had also been moved by Sughra Imam as a private member. The members were of the view that civil servants or bureaucrats must have their undivided loyalty to the country.
“A civil servant shall not serve an international organisation, international non-governmental organisation, international financial institution or foreign donor agency during his service,” says a newly-inserted Clause 10-A in the Civil Servants Act, 1973.
The PPP senator said that she had moved the bill to stop the practice of civil servants serving abroad after taking leave. They thus get double benefit and block the way of other aspirants to the civil service.
Speaking about water disputes with India, Haji Adeel of the ANP termed the Indus Water Treaty the root cause of the nation’s water woes.
Sughra Imam said Pakistan ranked 31st among the most stressed countries in terms of water resources and, therefore, steps were needed to stop India from violating the water treaty.
“If this issue is not included in the agenda for talks, it can lead to further conflicts,” she said. The PPP senator said the timing of the release of water in the rivers at present was totally under control of India and the issue was critical in terms of food security in Pakistan.
Talha Mehmood of the JUI called for seeking the help of the international community in preventing India from violating the water treaty.
The PML-Q’s Mushahid Hussain asked the government not to show haste in granting MFN status to India and wait till a new government was installed in New Delhi this year.
Later winding up a debate on the motion moved by PPP’s Farhatullah Babar on the LNG export, the Minster for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said that no contract had so far been signed with any country for the purchase of energy and all such reports appearing in the media were speculative.
About the Pakistan-Iran gas project, the minister said the only hurdle was the sanctions on Tehran and they had told Iran to link this project with lifting of sanctions. “If the sanctions are lifted, the Iranian gas will be in our system within 30 months,” he said.
Moving the motion, Mr Babar had raised questions about the construction of a new LNG terminal at Port Qasim in Karachi as well as the price at which LNG was planned to be imported from Qatar.
The Senate also passed a resolution recommending the government to make arrangements for vocational training of prisoners and educational facilities for children in jails.
The proceedings were adjourned during a discussion on the issue of privatisation of PIA when the opposition members pointed out lack of quorum.
Senate calls for taking up water disputes with India - DAWN.COM
