Senate Body Mulls Over Bills To Ensure Jobs For Pakistani Workers In Foreign-investment Projects

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Senate body mulls over bills to ensure jobs for Pakistani workers in foreign-investment projects

The Senate's Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Wednesday held a thorough debate on provision of jobs for Pakistani workers in foreign investment projects

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2019 ) :The Senate's Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Wednesday held a thorough debate on provision of jobs for Pakistani workers in foreign investment projects.

The committee, however, could not reach a decision on bills carrying measures to enhance jobs for the local labour force in foreign companies.

It discussed the private members bills moved by Senator Sherry Rehman for Foreign Private Investments (Promotion and Protection) (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and The board of Investment (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

The committee members debated the clauses related to protection of rights of Pakistani work force. Sherry Rehman was of the opinion that the new bill should carry a clause for employment of 60 percent unskilled labour of Pakistan in projects by foreign investors.

Senators Pervaiz Rashid, Taj Muhammad Afridi and Walid Iqbal urged caution as they were of the view that any new conditions should be avoided at the stage as it would discourage foreign direct investment.

Sherry Rehman opined that other countries like Vietnam, Malaysia and Iraq took measures to protect right of employment of their workers in foreign funded projects.

She said amendments should be introduced in laws so that local workers could get jobs in joint ventures and foreign investment projects.

Pervaiz Rashid suggested that foreign investors should be given different incentives encouraging them to hire Pakistani workers.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said the government was committed to attract foreign investment while at the same time it would support efforts for hiring of local labour force in projects.

He assured that the Grievances Cell headed by him was working to arrange funds for the National Institute of Blood Disease for treatment of poor leukemia patients. Senator Dr Sikandar Mandhro, who had raised the issue in a Senate sitting, said the funds were stopped during the caretaker government.

The minister told the committee that he took up the issue in the Federal cabinet and the Prime Minister and Finance Minister had given the green signal for approval of funds for the deserving patients.

The committee deferred the consideration of the calling attention notice regarding report of the working group of the Election Commission of Pakistan on E-voting for the Overseas Pakistanis due to absence of Senator Javed Abbasi, who had earlier raised the matter in Senate.

The committee also did not take up the matter regarding core responsibilities and jurisdiction of Earthquake and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) as Senator Chaudhry Tanveer Khan was not present in the meeting.

It decided to take up in the next meeting the public petition for establishment of a special economic zone at village Kani Union Council Makhand in Tehsil Jhand, district Attock as it wanted to listen to the viewpoint of petitioner Malik Haroon Ramzan.

Committee Chairman Sassui Palijo asked the officials of Board of Investment to streamline the operations and ease conditions for doing business in Pakistan. The senators were told that 50 no-objection certificates were needed by foreign investors to start a business.

The members observed that stringent regulatory conditions and bureaucratic hurdles were dampening confidence of foreign investors.