Opposition casts doubt on govt-IMF accord

The News Muhammad Anis Wednesday, September 18, 2013 From Print Edition ISLAMABAD: The agreement between the PML-N government and International Monetary Fund (IMF) came under strong criticism by the opposition members who demanded discussion on the terms and conditions of the agreement in the National Assembly. “Under the agreement reached with the IMF, the government is implementing anti-masses economic policies,” Dr Asad Umar of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who took oath as a member of the lower house of parliament, said on Tuesday. PTI members Raja Aamer Zaman and Dr Arif Alvi, PPP members Dr Azra Fazal and Shazia Marri and MQM parliamentarians Khawaja Sohail Mansoor and Sajid Ahmad also criticised the present government’s economic policies. The members were taking part in a debate on a motion moved by PTI member Raja Aamer Zaman on the situation arising out of the agreement between the government and IMF to get a loan of $5.3 billion. Asad Umar observed that the agreement between the government and IMF reflected anti-masses measures. “The government-IMF agreement has raised many doubts in the minds of people who want the agreement should be made public,” he said. He predicted that the Pakistani rupee would be devalued further to 127 against dollar.He said the government had printed notes worth Rs636 billion in a period of just two months which would result in an unprecedented increase in inflation whereas the last government had printed Rs500 billion one year. Raja Aamer Zaman, the mover of the motion, said the government should take such important decisions like obtaining loans from the IMF in parliament.He felt that there would be no need to seek foreign loans if there was good governance in the country where unnecessary non-development expenditure was diverted to development funds. PPP parliamentarian Shazia Marri demanded of the government to re-visit the IMF agreement saying the document should be tabled before parliament. She said the PML-N used to claim that they had broken the begging bowl but it seemed that their government had carried the bowl of a bigger size. Khawaja Sohail Mansoor and Sajid Ahmad said before reaching any agreement with the IMF, the issue should have been brought before the finance committee of the House. Sahibzada Yaqoob of Jamaat-e-Islami said if it was necessary to obtain loans, those should be sought on terms and conditions in the national interest. Others who took part in the debate included Shaharyar Afridi, Aqibullah, Arifa Khalid, Mian Abdul Manan, Chaudhary Muhammad Ashraf, Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, Asiya Nasir, Engineer Ali Muhammad Khan and Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan. Winding up the debate, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad told the House that the finance minister would take the House into confidence on this financial matter soon. The PML-N MNAs introduced a private members bill to ensure errorless publication of the Holy Quran on fine quality papers and proper disposal of damaged holy pages and copies of the Holy Quran. The Act shall be called the Publication of the Holy Quran (Elimination of Printing and Recording Errors) (Amendment) Bill, 2013. According to an amendment in Elimination of Printing Errors Act, 1973, the recording companies will have infrastructural facilities for the disposal of damaged pages or copies of the Holy Quran. The bill was introduced by Major (retd) Tahir Iqbal and others. Two other bills titled Political Parties Order (Amendment) Bill, 2013 and the National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2013 were also introduced. The Political Parties Order (Amendment) Bill 2013 envisages that every political party should have a minimum of 33 percent quota for women in the party’s elected general council and in any associated party committee and forum at the federal, provincial and local levels. It would also envisage fulfilling the national and international commitments of Pakistan government, including the Convention on Elimination or All Kinds of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The bill seeks to protect and strengthen women’s representation in the political and legislative process. The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2013 provides for encouraging private and public organisations to stop demanding copies of Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) and exclusive use of CNIC. This is meant to prevent misuse of copies of CNICs for various criminal or illegal activities. As many as 10 MQM members including Shaikh Salahuddin, Dr. Farooq Sattar and others introduced the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Bill 2013.The PPP members Dr Nafisa Shah and Dr Azra Fazal introduced a bill to provide safety from and control of deadly disease of HIV/AIDS [The HIV/AIDS (Safety and Control) Bill, 2013]. Meanwhile, the National Assembly was informed that no employee of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be removed during the privatisation of 26 percent shares of the national flag carrier. “I say categorically that the government has no plans to offload the PIA employees in the proposed process of privatisation,” Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Sheikh told the House in response to a Calling Attention Notice.