ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: The opposition members have submitted adjournment motions to the Senate Secretariat to discuss the financial policies of the government particularly with reference to a report of the State Bank regarding reduction in remittances by overseas Pakistanis in the last one year.
According to parliamentary secretary of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Izhar Amrohvi, the opposition members belonging to the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Balochistan National Party (BNP) have submitted three different adjournment motions under Rule 74 of the Rules and Procedure for Conduct of Business in the Senate 1988.
The first motion, signed by seven members, state: “It has been reported in the press that the amount of foreign exchange sent home by the overseas Pakistanis has fallen to $310 million in July 2005, which is six per cent less than $329.9 million in July 2004 as shown by the data released by the State Bank of Pakistan. The matter is of serious nature and needs discussion on the floor of the house adjourning the normal proceedings.”
Through another motion, six opposition senators have sought a discussion on the rise in inflation rate causing difficulties to the people.
The motion states: “It has been reported in the press that inflation had risen by nine per cent in July 2005 as the government’s measures to stabilize food prices have failed.”
Meanwhile, the opposition senators have also submitted an adjournment motion seeking a debate on the issue of the exclusion of Occupied Kashmir from Pakistan’s map printed on an invitation brochure sent to various people for participation in the Pakistan’s Infrastructure Conference 2005.
It states: “The invitation brochure sent for Pakistan’s Infrastructure Conference 2005 does not include parts of occupied Kashmir in an image of Pakistan’s map causing embarrassment to the organizers. The invitation brochure for the conference, to be held on September 14, bears the insignia of the government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting being the official media for the conference. However, instead of bearing the official map of Pakistan as issued by the Survey of Pakistan, the brochure has an Indian version of the map with the orange colour of the Indian flag.
“According to the brochure, President Gen Pervez Musharraf will inaugurate the conference,” says the motion.
Mr Amrohvi said the motions had been signed by Opposition Leader in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, parliamentary leader of the PML-N Ishaq Dar, Dr Safdar Abbassi (PPP), Dr Abdullah Riar (PPP), Enver Baig (PPP), Sadia Abbasi (PML-N), Sanaullah Baloch (BNP), Rukhsana Zuberi (PPP) and Asfandyar Wali Khan (ANP).