Pakistan suffered $80bn loss in ‘war on terror’: govt

• By Tanveer Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan suffered a colossal loss of almost $80 billion as well as 50,000 precious lives of civilians and law enforcement agencies during the decade long war against terrorism, government told National Assembly here on Friday.

In a written reply Interior Ministry informed the house that Pakistan has been victim of terrorism for the last ten years. The Parliamentary Secretary for Interior, Maryam Aurangzeb said extremist groups have been active throughout the country with their own ideology and motives. Maryam Aurangzeb said several policy steps have been taken for controlling and improving law and order situation in the country. She said the government has prepared a new policy for strengthening internal security and to improve law and order.

Answering to another question, she told the house that National Alien Registration Authority (NARA) has registered a total of 14369 aliens from January 2008 to August 2014 without biometrics. Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan told the House that government’s negotiations with IMF have been succeeded and last tranche has been approved. To a question, he said the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is striving for a uniform rate of Sales Tax on all commodities. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed told the House that 66,555 contract employees of grade one to fifteen have been regularized according to the Cabinet’s decision of the previous government.

He was replying to a calling attention notice moved by Muhammad Muzamil Qureshi and others regarding non-regularization of the employees of the federal government, autonomous and semi-autonomous departments despite many years of service at their credit. Chairman Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control Rana Shamim Ahmed Khan presented a report of the Standing Committee on the Bill to rationalize and reorganize the local government system in the Federal Capital. The National Assembly also expressed its deep gratitude to the President for his address to both Houses of the Parliament when the house concluded the debate on it.

Winding up the debate on President’s address, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed said law and order situation has been improved considerably after the launch of Zarb-e-Azb operation against terrorists. He said the personnel of armed forces and security agencies are rendering sacrifices to protect the frontiers of the motherland. He said the government is making all out efforts to overcome energy crisis in the country. Referring to PTI’s protest Minister of State urged the protesting parties to come into the Parliament and play their due role to take the country forward on the path of progress and prosperity. Earlier, taking part in the debate Sahibzada Tariqullah demanded of the government to hold local government elections and conduct population census as early as possible.