November 26, 2006	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 4, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: Reservations by the ministry prevented the National Assembly standing committee on environment from reaching a consensus on the issue of import of timber for construction in the quake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP.

In the committee’s meeting presided over by Farzeen Ahmad Sarfraz, there was difference of opinion regarding the import of timber on minimum refundable import duty.

The meeting discussed the problems faced by the earthquake affected people in the areas of Kashmir and NWFP. Efforts made by the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) also came under discussion.

The committee deliberated on environmental impacts and remedial measures in the quake-hit areas. Erra officials also gave a presentation on sources of pollution in the earthquake-hit areas and measures to control these.

The meeting was attended by Khwaja Mohammad Asif, Onaza Ehsan, Tehmina Dastee, Dr Hajra Tariq, Samina Khalid Ghurki, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari and Chaudhry Saeed Ahmed.

Our reporter from islamabad adds: The Senate functional committee on government assurances took strong notice of the non- serious attitude of certain ministers, state ministers and senior officials towards the parliamentary committees in general and slackness in the implementation of their assurances in particular.

According to a press release, the committee met at the Parliament House on Saturday under the chairmanship of Senator Mohammad Anwar Bhinder.

The meeting took up matters relating to implementation status of the assurances furnished earlier on the floor of the house by the ministers of religious affairs, industries and production, finance, health, housing and works, interior, water and power, and commerce.