Trade deficit to touch $17b, NA told
By Asghar Ali Mubarak

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar has informed the National Assembly that the 6th national census to be held in October and a Statistical and Consultation Committee has been formed in this regard.
The federal minister informed the assembly during question hour on Friday, that the census would be held in all the four provinces of the country including FATA, tribal areas, capital and in Azad Kashmir.
The decision to conduct census was taken by the previous government in a cabinet meeting in the year of 2006, he added. The minister further said that a Statistical Consultation Committee like the former statistical committees has been formed which comprised on experts belonging from different ministries, departments and universities, he added. Meanwhile, responding a question regarding trade, the finance minister informed that total quantity of 458882 metric ton wheat was exported in 2006-07 while 517797 wheat related products were exported in 2006-07 and in 2007-08, 242024 metric ton was exported.
The wheat was exported to Afghanistan, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippine, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE, Vietnam and Yemen while the wheat related products were exported to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Denmark, Dubai, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, UAE, USA and Yemen, added by the finance minister. Ishaq Dar further told the House that the government of Pakistan has earned over Rs. 16928 million as foreign reserves from 2006 to 2008 by exporting wheat and its products to the foreign countries. In a question, the finance minister informed the House that the government of Pakistan from 2004 to 2007 obtained 11350 million US dollars under the head of loans and grants.
He said that the former government claimed to break the bowl but the situation is worsen, added it is the right of the people to accountable those who looted the country. He demanded the formation of a committee comprised on the members of both the houses from the treasury and opposition benches. During question hour, Federal education Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that the country’s trade deficit would touch level of $ 17 billion at end of current year due to increase in oil prices at international market, reduction in export and increase in import.
Out 60 percent export depend on textile products and it is a tiny part of international trade, he told the lower house. Upto 75 $ US were sent in Pakistan followed by September 11 while no project was completed during last five years.
Only President Pervez Musharraf took decision during last five year while the Prime Minister and Federal Cabinet was dummy, he added. Pakistan was self sufficient in food when democratic Government was toppled in 1999 by a dictator and no concrete steps were taken in agriculture sector during last 8 years, the federal education minister maintained. The reservoirs of food is going to end, he said, adding that, we can reduce our trade deficit by enhancing our production in agriculture sector through experiments while agriculture ministry is devising a comprehensive plan in this respect.
Senior Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan while responding to a call attention notice related to high prices of phosphate fertilizers said that the government has given the subsidy of Rs. 16 billion in a year.
He held responsible the high prices of phosphate fertilizers in the international market, adding that one year ago, the price was 400 dollar per ton which has been reached upto 1100 dollar per ton.
The minister informed that Pakistan is producing 30 percent phosphate fertilizer of its need while 70 pc is being imported, although, there is no shortage of fertilizer in the country, he added.