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| India-Pakistan |
| Nigerian nationals involved in drug smuggling in Pakistan |
| 2009-10-09 |
| [Geo News] Foreign Ministry Thursday told the senate Nigerian nationals have been found in drug smuggling into Pakistan; at least 441 people have been arrested from 2005 to date, of them, only 50 visited Pakistan on visa and the remaining had fake documents. The senate was told in written form from Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi that there are at least 2533 Pakistanis jailed in Saudi Arab, Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE), of them, the maximum number of 1152 Pakistanis are in Saudi Arab, adding they are being provided consulate access. Minister for Special Initiative Lal Muhammad Khan informed the Upper House in Parliament that 5843 water filtration plants are proposed to be installed in 2009-10 across the country and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). He said the government has allocated Rs 15,108.139 million and the amount was released to the provinces for this purpose. The minister said that 3494 plants would be installed in Punjab, 942 in Sindh, 739 in NWFP, 264 in Balochistan, 13 in Islamabad, 67 in FATA, 92 in NAs and 232 in AJK. He said that Rs 3,746.798 million were released to Punjab, Rs 963.710million to Sindh, Rs 881.241 million to NWFP, Rs 803.895 million to Balochistan, Rs. 5.130 million to ICT, Rs 89.313 million to FATA, Rs 96.205million to NAs and Rs 110.550 million to AJK. Lal Khan said the Clean Drinking Water Programme (CDWI) was started by the central government in 2005/06 and 4306 plants were installed across the country in its first phase. The minister said 783 water filtration plants were set up in second phase. He said a contract has been signed with Punjab government to install3494 plants in the province and expressed hope that work on the project would start on Oct 14. Minister for Textile Industry Rana Muhammad Farooq Saeed Khan informed the Upper House in Parliament that government is mulling to provide subsidy on furnace oil and electricity for textile industry adding that it is a backbone of the country. Replying to various questions during Question hour session, he said that government for the first time in the country's history introduced a textile policy adding that implementation has been started on it from August30. He said that 471 Spinning and 50 Weaving (521 textile units) were set up in the country. A total of 102 units are closed out of which 15 units closed during the period of 2008-09 as per record, he added. The minister said these units were closed due to depressed global market, non-supply of electricity/electricity breakdown and increased rate of diesel and furnace oil resulting in high cost of electricity generation. Replying to a question, he said the government would provide all facilities if textile industry is set up in FATA. |
| Posted by:Fred |