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Iqamas issue of 9 lac Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia resolved: Sartaj
INP
ISLAMABAD – Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz informed the Senate on Wednesday that issues related to Iqamas of around nine hundred thousand Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia have been resolved. He said that this while replying to a question in the Senate on Wednesday. He said that 112 Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia were awarded different punishments in different crimes including death sentences between 2010 and 2012. He said that Pakistan cannot intervene into any other country's law, however, Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes its all-out efforts to get them released from Saudi jails. He said that those involved in heinous crimes cannot be released. Sartaj told that eleven Pakistani prisoners are awaiting capital punishment on drug trafficking charges and one on robbery. He said that efforts are also made for release of the Pakistani prisoners, charged with petty offences, under the Royal Amnesty given during the holy month of Ramadan. He has said about 1,600 Pakistani prisoners are detained in the United Arab Emirates. He said community welfare wing of Pakistan Embassy in UAE is working for the release and facilitation of Pakistani prisoners. To another question, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad told the House that ratio of accidents on National Highways has decreased because of the strict measurements taken by the Motorway Police. He said majority of accidents on national highways happened due to overloading. The ratio of accidents has decreased by fifty per cent because of the strict actions taken by the motorway police, including proper check on weight loaded on heavy vehicles, their maintenance and others. Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar told the House that all public sector hospitals and Atomic Energy Centres have been treating the cancer patients. She said that ratio of breast cancer in females and prostate cancer in males is high in Pakistan. She said that cancer is spreading fast in youngsters between the ages 18 and 22. She said that in Karachi mouth cancer is common because of excessive use of Paan and chewable tobacco. To a question, Minister of State for Federal Education and Trainings Muhammad Balighur Rehman told the House that Disaster Management curriculum's education would be made mandatory in the universities. He said that the curriculum in this regard was first introduced in 2014 by Higher Education Commission. He said that disaster management is an important subject, however, HEC accredited universities are not bound to teach any specific course in this regard. The House has now been prorogued.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk