No gas load shedding being carried out: NA informed

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Tuesday that no gas load shedding was being carried out in any part of the country.

Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Agha Hassan Baloch, Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan admitted there was issue of low gas pressure in different cities.

However, he said, Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited was executing two projects of replacing the old pipelines with new ones at a cost of 2.28 billion rupees and the laying of new pipelines and installations of new compressors will help address the issue of low gas pressure.

The petroleum minister said the gas distribution companies had also been directed to check their losses and gas theft.

Earlier in a statement this month, Petroleum Minister Sarwar said that people would not face gas load-shedding during winter season this year.

“Gas is being provided to the industry continuously and subsidy will be provided on bills from October 16 till June next year,” he had said.

Read More: CNG association to protest against halting of gas supply

Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi told the House a plan will be unveiled in March next year to make National Counter Terrorism Authority [NACTA] more meaningful and vibrant. He said national security is the focus of the government.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said all the stakeholders including the political parties should sit together to formulate a charter of economy.

Responding to the points raised by Ajmal Khan on the problems faced by farmers, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary said the government is giving priority to the uplift of agriculture sector as this sector is also being made part of multi billion dollars China Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

On the protest of teachers of basic education community schools at D.Chowk in Islamabad, Minister of Education Shafqat Mahmood assured that their salaries will soon be paid after approval of over three billion rupees by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for this purpose.

A number of bills were laid before the House on Tuesday.

These are: The Constitution (Amendment) bill, 2018 (Articles 25 B, 51, 63 B, 92 and 106), Pakistan Psychological Council Bill, 2018, The Election (Amendment) Bill, 2018, The Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, (Article 106).

The House will now meet again on Wednesday at 11:00am in the morning.