Another forex dealer found involved in flight of dollar
Thursday, December 18, 2008
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Ports and Shipping Nabeel Gabol told the National Assembly on Wednesday that the Gwadar Port was fully functional and six ships carrying urea would dock at the port this month.
Responding to a question by Sheikh Salahuddin during the question hour, he said that an amount of Rs 400 million allocated for the Gwadar Deep Water Port project, Phase-I. To a question, he said that major works of the project had been completed and the sanctioned amount was utilized during the financial year 2007-08. Remaining minor works were likely to be completed by June 2009.
Responding to another question by Abdul Qadir Patel, he said that no compensation had been paid to the fishermen for the losses suffered by them after grounding of Tasman Spirit in July 2003 as the matter was sub judice.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza urged print and electronic media to keep national interest supreme in reporting on sensitive matters. We need to ensure responsible reporting. Let us be careful that national interest remains supreme and our interests are not hurt, the speaker said, in response to a point of order by MQM MNA Waseem Akhter.
MNA Waseem Akhter had raised a point regarding media reporting and talk shows in connection with Mumbai incident and Indias alleged involvement of Ajmal Qasab in the incident. Waseem Akhter had claimed that certain newspapers and news channels tried to establish Ajmal Qasabs connection with Pakistan, at a time when no solid evidence was available yet about his any link. This situation is very serious, Waseem said and demanded an inquiry into what he claimed irresponsible reporting and demanded to send the matter to National Assembly Standing Committee on Information.
In response to the member, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Babar Awan said, there has been one stance since Mumbai incident that State of Pakistan, the government and the Pakistani nation was not involved in this incident.
If somebody has tried to concoct the matter and presumed something, it is not correct, he said. I hope correct and accurate stance of Pakistan would be highlighted in media. He said as far as inquiry report does not surface, reporting in that matter would not be favourable.
He said on such issues a national bottom line is drawn. We have a clear stance and cannot compromise on national security. We also need to be careful about our national interests in reporting.
Commenting on the matter, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Sumsam Ali Bokhari said, it is our collective responsibility to protect national interests. I have already requested everybody to dispense with our national duties and avoid anything that may harm our interests, he said. The minister said, he had no objection if the matter needs to be sent to the committee.
Besides, Fazlur Rehman urged the governments of Pakistan and India to unmask the elements marring bilateral relations between Pakistan and India and creating tensions in the region. Bilateral relations are usually undermined when both the countries strive for peaceful relations through dialogue and strengthening people-to-people contact. Indeed, there are some factors which do not want to see the neighbouring states having friendly ties, said Maulana Fazlur Rehman while speaking in the National Assembly during a debate on the Pak-India tension.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik informed the National Assembly that another forex dealer has been found involved in flight of dollars. I want to inform the house that the Federal Investigation Agency on Tuesday raided another forex agent and recovered important record, he informed the house. The FIA found important record showing that the forex agent had sent US$ 835 million out of the country, Malik added. He said the FIA has already recovered the information from data of the computers of forex dealers that more than Rs. 200 billion have been sent abroad. We are effectively dealing with this issue and the information available is being provided to the House, he said.