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The National Assembly has been summoned to meet on Monday, the 1st April, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. in the Parliament House, Islamabad
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NA Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) met today

Tuesday, 24th April, 2018

Islamabad, 24th April, 2018: A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) met today in Committee Room No. 7, Parliament House, Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Muhammad Jamal ud Din, MNA. The Committee discussed the Point of Order raised by Ms. Naeema Kishwer Khan, MNA on 25th January, 2018 regarding anti-Pakistan syllabus being taught to Afghan Refugees Children in the schools established under the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In this regard, the Chief Commissioner, Afghan Refugees informed the Committee that teams were formed to visit the schools and to check the syllabus being taught in the schools of Government of Pakistan and the schools under the UNHCR to the Afghan Refugees Children. As per information provided by the visiting teams, the books being taught in Refugee Camp schools are the same that are being taught in Government of Pakistan schools and no anti-Pakistan revised curriculum/syllabus is being taught in Afghan schools run in the Afghan Community. He further informed that Country Representative, UNHCR has also clarified that no such textbooks have been distributed or are in the pipeline to be distributed and used in Afghan Refugees schools in Pakistan. The Country Representative, UNHCR has further assured that no new syllabus will be introduced without getting prior approval from the Government of Pakistan.

2.         The Committee also expressed its great concern on banning the release of funds under the Annual Development Program for the development projects/schemes in FATA by the Finance Division. The Committee was informed that only Rs. 12 billion out of Rs. 24 billion has been released to the FATA Secretariat so far. The Committee recommended that the Finance Division should release the remaining funds and give permission of re-appropriation to the FATA Secretariat in order to spend the allocated budget of the ADP and complete the ongoing development schemes in FATA in time.

3.         The Committee also discussed the issue of alleged irregularities in process of Tenders for construction of roads in Tira, Khyber Agency as observed by the Honorable MNA of the concerned Agency. Mr. Nasir Khan, MNA of Khyber Agency pointed out during the meeting that the Tender of roads in Khyber Agency were opened in Tira instead of Khyber Agency Headquarter. He further pointed out that the roads for which Tenders have been carried out by the quarters concerned have already been constructed and the Tenders awarded to the special group in violation of Pakistan Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Rules. The Standing Committee appointed a Sub-Committee with the following composition and ToRs:-

Composition of Sub-Committee:

1)      Mr. Nasir Khan                                     Convener

2)      Mr. Qaiser Jamal                                 Member

3)      Mr. Bilal Rehman                                Member

ToRs:

“To probe into the matter of alleged irregularities in process of roads Tenders in Tira, Khyber Agency under ADP 2017-18 by the Works and Services Department, FATA Secretariat.”

4.         The Sub-Committee shall submit its report to the main Committee within one month.

5.         The meeting was also attended by Mr. Muhammad Nazir Khan, Begum Tahira Bukhari, Ms. Iffat Liaqat, Mrs. Surraiya Jatoi, Mr. Shahjahan Baloch, Mr. Qaiser Jamal, Mr. Nasir Khan, Mr. Muhammad Kamal Malik, Mr. Bilal Rehman, Mr. Bismillah Khan MNAs and Ms. Naeema Kishwer Khan, MNA/Mover and Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions and Officers/Officials of the Ministry and other attached Departments.