NA passes Bill to attract investment
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD—The lower house on Wednesday unanimously approved the
telecommunication (restructuring) amendment bill 2005.
The house with majority votes turned down opposition’s all amendments in
this connection. Earlier, the bill in connection with telecommunication
(restructuring) bill 2005 was moved by Federal Minister for information
technology Awais Leghari aimed to improve the services of
telecommunication and attract more investment with offering enhanced
investment opportunities for investors.
The bill, he noted would help ensure more protection for investors’
investment in the sector. As the bill was landed for voting, opposition
benches challenged the voting process repeatedly but the speaker started
counting the votes.
As many as 191 votes were cast in favour of the bill and 62 against it.
State Minister for IT Ali Asjad Malhi presented the amendments.
Raising objections over the bill, opposition members pleaded that
services of the telecommunication were not as per required standard.
Lawmaker Syed Zafar Ali Shah while taking part in debate regretted that
President Musharraf did not fulfill promise with the nation. Meanwhile,
the lower on Wednesday assigned the foreign countries private investment
(protection and promotion) bill to the arbitrary committee, as the upper
house did not approve the bill after the lapse of 90 days.
Motion in this connection was moved by Federal Minister for investment
and privatization Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. The National Assembly
approved a Bill 2005 to devise a law for establishing new Hydrocarbon
Development of Pakistan institution in absentia of opposition in the
house.
The Senate, however already had approved the bill. The opposition though
opposed the bill but consented to its main purposes. The opposition
presented some amendments in the bill, however the treasury members
raised volley of objections over the opposition’s amendments. Federal
Minister for petroleum resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon while tabling the
bill in the house said that the new institution would help government in
chalking out policies for the development of the concerned industry.
The institution, if established, he underlined would workout long term
and short term strategies in research and development and exploration of
natural resources activities. The government on Wednesday too, faced
defeat during the National Assembly session over the lack of quorum
issue. After winding up debates on establishment of Hydrocarbon
Development institution, the treasury members went out of the session.
Opposition member Yousaf Talpur pointed out to quorum issue, which
prompted Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain to count the
treasury lawmakers. |
