ISLAMABAD, May 16 (APP): Minister for Commerce Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan said Monday there was no special request from China for any agreement related to meat and hide of donkey received in Ministry of Commerce.

“Whereas these items are already covered under China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement(FATA),” the minister said during question-hour session in the National Assembly.

Since, he added, there was no case of any special agreement between Pakistan and China regarding donkey meat and skin, so therefore there was no delay in implementation.

LAHORE, May 16(APP): Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML- N) senior leader and Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiq-ul-Farooq Monday termed Panama papers scandal a plot against Asian nations including Pakistan to deprive it of visionary leadership as well as economic development.
Talking to APP Siddiq-ul-Farooq said that this was a fact that Prime Minister was the only political and popular leader of the country who possessed the development and economic vision for the country.

Welcoming the stance of the prime minister Nawaz Sharif in his address to parliament house he said that fake stories were furnished against PM and his family pertaining to his tax returns adding the premier has presented the documents before the Parliament to justify his statement.

ISLAMABAD, May 16 (APP): Minister for Education and Professional
Training Baleegh ur Rehman Monday said that matter regarding delay in offer of foreign scholarships to students of Balochistan would be settled during the ongoing month.

Replying to a joint Calling Attention Notice (CAN) sponsored by Ms.
Naseema Hafeez Panezai and Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan from PkMAP, the Minister said the government of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Shaif had always given priority to development or other programs in the Balochistan.
He said that matter regarding non-provision of foreign scholarships to
eligible students belonging to Balochistan would be settled during the ongoing month as a committee was already working on it.

ISLAMABAD, May 16 (APP): Minister of State for Water and Power
Abid Sher Ali lauding the Prime Minister for addressing the National
Assembly, said Monday it removed all the doubts and misunderstandings created by the opposition regarding the Panama
Papers.

Talking to media persons outside the Parliament, he said Prime
Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif boldly presented his point of view in
the Lower House and generously offered to form a joint parliamentary
committee to finalize TORs regarding the proposed Commission on
Panama Papers.

But instead, the opposition opted for staging walk out and
spoke outside the parliament despite speaking on floor of the House.

ISLAMABAD, May 16 (APP): Parliamentarians, businessmen and
lawyers community Monday appreciated Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for presenting a candid point of view on the Panama Leaks in his address in the National Assembly.

Terming the Prime Minister’s speech a ‘bold step’,they said Nawaz Sharif offered to present all details and documents of his assets along with their proof of purchase and sale before the proposed parliamentary committee to frame terms of reference (ToRs)
on Panama Papers’ probe.

They were of the view that opposition parties should have followed parliamentary and democratic norms and give their point of view on floor of the House, which was the appropriate forum.

BAHAWALPUR, May 16 (APP): Minister of State for Higher Education and Interior Engineer Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman said that Rubber Dam and lake would be constructed at Sutlej River with area comprising 1,187 acres.

While chairing a meeting at Commissioner Office here Monday he said that the project would be completed with a cost of Rs 1.6 billion and would help future requirements of water for Bahawalpur and Lodhran districts.

He said that construction of lake and rubber dam would generate an aqua mechanism under which water level would be raised under soil and provision of potable water would be available.

ISLAMABAD, May 16 (APP): Minister for Commerce Eng. Khurram
Dastgir Monday said a total amount of US$ 18.460 million was earned from the export of livestock over the last three years.

Speaking during question-hour in the National Assembly, the minister
said promoting livestock falls under the purview of the provincial governments after the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

As regards promotion of livestock exports, he added the Economic
Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on a summary moved by Ministry of National Food Security and Research imposed ban on the export of live animals w.e.f October 1, 2013.

FAISALABAD, May 16 (APP): Mohammad Hussain Bani Asadi, Consul
General, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lahore Monday said that annual
meeting of Pak-Iran Joint Economic Commission would be held in Tehran immediately after the holy month of Ramzan in which tariff related issues between the two countries would be resolved.

Addressing a meeting of businessmen at Faisalabad Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (FCCI), he said that the sanctions imposed on
Iran has altogether changed and now we have to fully exploit the post sanction opportunities.

He mentioned the brotherly, friendly, religious, diplomatic and cultural relations with Pakistan but noted with concern that these
had not been fully translated into economic terms.