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A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning Development and Special Initiatives was held on Friday at Parliament House.   Chaired by Senator Atta ur Rehman the meeting was attended by Senator Nuzhat Sadiq, Senator Saadia Abbasi, Senator Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhary, Senator Danesh Kumar, Senator Hidayat Ullah, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, and senior officers from the Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives, along with all concerned.  

The meeting commenced with update of the financial and physical progress of DI Khan Airport. Other matters taken up include the reasons for delay in the completion of Soan Bridge project on GT Road, Rawalpindi and losses of PSDP Projects during floods.  

While being briefed regarding the financial and physical progress of DI Khan Airport the Committee was informed that operations of the airport have remained suspended since 2014. The runway is currently in the state to cater to ATR flights, however, it was essential that the building be renovated.  The Committee stressed the need for the airport to be made operational at the earliest and measure be taken to allow larger international flights.  The Committee was informed that currently the airport can take partial load of Boeing Airbus and 77 Aircrafts as well.  However, at the moment, due to massive flooding, no large flights can be accommodated by the airport.  

Discussing completion of Soan Bridge project on GT Road, Rawalpindi the Committee was informed that delay was mainly due to the performance of the Contractor as a result of which the contract was terminated.  FWO has been taken on board for completion of the project and have been summoned for details in the next meeting.  

Taking up the matter of losses of PSDP Projects during floods the Committee was informed that basically the role of MoPD&SI is to process the development schemes for approval of the competent for and the provision of funds through PSDP. MoPD&SI also conducts monitoring of ongoing PSDP schemes.  NDMA provided details of the losses incurred by floods over various regions including   AJ&K and Gilgit Baltistan.  The Committee while reviewing the data opined that in order for more details in addition to the NDMA, SUPARCO must be invited in the next meeting.  The Committee directed NDMA for more details regarding damages according to districts.   The Committee was informed that a reconstruction plan has been chalked out in which provinces would have to contribute as well.  

Senator Saadia Abbasi was of the view that since Pakistan is an Agrarian Economy special attention must be paid to the Agricultural losses incurred as this could lead to food insecurity in the country. Senator Shafiq Tareen raised the issue regarding the mismanagement in distribution of relief packages by PDMA and Deputy Commissioners in Balochistan. He stressed that the process need to be transparent and unbiased. He also inquired the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) criteria for cash transfers to flood victims.  He raised concerns regarding all victims that are currently unregistered stressing the need for BISP to accommodate all.