Pakistan: PPP lawmakers stage walkout from National Assembly over absence of ministers
PPP Lawmakers Walkout Over Minister Absence and PIA Privatization Concerns
In Islamabad, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers left the National Assembly in protest due to the absence of government ministers during a session. The session was led by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa, with only Federal Minister for Law, Azam Nazeer Tarar, present.
Concerns Over PIA Privatization
PPP leader Naveed Qamar raised concerns about the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). He questioned the timeline and improvements in the process. Azam Nazeer Tarar assured that PIA would remain a state-owned enterprise, with the government holding the majority of shares.
Bidding Process and Challenges
In October, a single bid of PKR 10 billion was made for a 60% stake in PIA, below the minimum price of PKR 85 billion. Only Blue World City participated, and its chairman, Saad Nazir, stood firm on the bid. The government aimed to sell a 51-100% stake to raise funds under an IMF program.
PIA's Current Status
Parliamentary Secretary for Privatization, Aasia Ishaque, reported that out of PIA's 34 aircraft, only 17 are operational. The airline employs 7,300 people with an annual payroll of PKR 35 billion. She defended the privatization process, stating past failures were not the commission's fault.
PPP's Concerns and Criticisms
PPP MNA Abdul Qadir Patel warned of potential fare increases if PIA is privatized. MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig criticized the bidding process as unprofessional. Ramesh Lal and others protested the lack of development funds. The session ended with a PPP walkout and was adjourned indefinitely.
Doubts Revealed
PPP
PPP stands for Pakistan Peoples Party. It is a political party in Pakistan that was founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1967. The party is known for its center-left position and has been one of the major political parties in Pakistan.
National Assembly
The National Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Pakistan. It is where lawmakers meet to discuss and make laws for the country. Members of the National Assembly are elected by the people of Pakistan.
PIA
PIA stands for Pakistan International Airlines. It is the national airline of Pakistan, which means it is owned by the government and provides air travel services to people.
Privatization
Privatization means selling a government-owned company to private individuals or businesses. This is done to improve efficiency and reduce the financial burden on the government.
Bid
A bid is an offer made by someone to buy something, in this case, a company like PIA. When a company is being privatized, different people or companies can make bids to buy it.
Deputy Speaker
The Deputy Speaker is a person who helps run the meetings in the National Assembly. If the main Speaker is not there, the Deputy Speaker takes charge of the session.
Adjourned indefinitely
When a meeting is adjourned indefinitely, it means it is stopped without setting a date to start again. It can be resumed later when the members decide to meet again.
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