ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Senate was informed on Tuesday that Pakistan and China have arrived at an understanding for construction of 700 kilometer Gwadar-Nawab Shah gas pipeline.
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan told the House during question hour that once sanctions on Iran are over, Pakistan will take just few months to lay 75 kilometer chunk of pipeline from Gwadar to Jiwani to complete IP gas pipeline project on Pakistan side.
He clarified that Iran too has yet to complete 240 kilometer of pipeline on its part to take the gas to Pakistan border.
Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhary told the house that vacancies at PIMS Medical University have already been advertised and would be filled as per rules.
He was responding to a call attention notice on the subject by Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi.
The Chair asked Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz to brief the house on Thursday about testing of advanced air defence interceptor missile by India, as this is a matter of national security concern.
The House held discussion on annual reports of the Council of Common Interests for the last two years on a motion moved by Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada.
Taking part in the debate, members called for frequent meetings of the Council to have threadbare discussions on important issues. They also demanded that Census should be conducted at the earliest.
Those who spoke on the motion included Azam Swati, Abdul Qayyum, Sassui Paleejo, Mohsin Leghari, Usman Kakar, Javed Abbasi, Dr. Jehanzeb Jamaldini, Babar Awan, Sardar Azam Musakhel and Taj Haider.
Winding up debate, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada said all relevant organizations are ready to hold Census but the exercise was delayed for a few months because of pre-occupation of the Army in operation Zarb-e-Azb.
He said soon a decision would be taken to declare Inter-Provincial Coordination Ministry as Permanent Secretariat of the CCI.
He said a consensus is evolving to bring CPEC on the agenda of the CCI.
He said report on Kachhi Canal would be presented in the next meeting of the Council.
