ISLAMABAD: China has agreed to provide more than Rs35 billion for construction of the Gwadar International Airport, Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sawar Khan informed the Senate on Friday.
Speaking in the Senate during a question hour, the minister said the Gwadar airport will be a modern airport with night navigation.
He said construction work on the airport is expected to begin by June this year and will be completed within a span of three years.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, responding to a question regarding Pak-Afghan trade relations, said Pakistan has always taken steps to create a peaceful environment so that trade between the two countries flourish.
He said Pakistan has recently gifted Muhammad Ali Jinnah hospital worth of $24 million to Afghanistan as a good-will gesture.
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He told the house that export to Afghanistan in the year 2016-17 was 1299 million dollars, which has increased to 1301 million dollars in the year 2018-19.
Opposition senators Sherry Rehman, Javed Abbasi, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Raza Rabbani criticised the government’s policies saying these have contributed to price hike in the country.
Responding to a point raised by Raza Rabbani, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati said Pakistan steel Mills is not being privatized, adding improvements will be brought in the national entity under Public Private Partnership.
The session was adjourned till Monday.
