'Gates' statement conspiracy against Pakistan'

ISLAMABAD Opposition Senators Raja Zafarul Haq and Prof Khurshid on Thursday severely criticised the statement of US Secretary Defence Robert Gates that it would be difficult to stop India from attacking Pakistan if incident like that of Mumbai terror attack happened in the future.
The lawmakers, while speaking on a point of order in the Upper House of the Parliament, said that Gates statement was a conspiracy against Pakistan keeping in view the growing strategic partnership between United States and India. They also stressed US Secretary Defence to take back his statement.
Senator Raja Zafarul Haq said that in future international players or Indian separatist elements could carry out Mumbai-like attacks, which would provide India with an opportunity to blame Pakistan. Senator Khurshid said that Government should raise the issue with US Secretary Defence and compel him to take his statement back.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that Pakistan had time and again asked India to provide it with the dossier about the elements involved in Samjhota Express attack but to no avail. He said that India itself would be responsible for any future incident if it continued the practice of not sharing information with Pakistan.
During the question hour, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed Naveed Qamar assured the House to provide extra quota in federal jobs to people of the downtrodden areas. He admitted that small provinces had been discriminated in jobs quota in the past. He also assured of early gas supply to far-flung areas of the country including FATA.
He also informed that net profit of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had fallen from Rs 2.4 billion in the year 2007-08 to 931 million in 2008-09.
On a point of order, Senator Haji Adeel said that Pukhtoon residents of Karachi were being killed and their businesses and vehicles were being persistently set on fire but no one was paying attention to their plight.
Senator Idrees Safi moved a privileged motion against the Political Agent of Mohmand Agency, who, he said, had issued warrants of his father for not forming a local lashkar against Taliban. The motion was referred to the respective committee.
Senator Sabir Baloch condemned Advocate Abdul Hafeez Pirzadas statement that court could call in Army for implementation of its verdicts. He said the President and the Prime Minister had assured of full implementation of Supreme Courts verdicts, adding that Pirzadas statement was a conspiracy against the democratic dispensation in the country.
Senators Dr Abdul Malik and Raza Rabbani drew attention of the House to the matter pertaining to the recognition of degrees of Pakistani students studying in Cuba under scholarship. Senators Jamal Leghari, Kalsum Perveen and others criticised CDAs inability to maintain the Parliament Lodges. Chairman Senate directed Deputy Chairman Senate to call in Chairman CDA and discuss the issue with him. He also directed Leader of the House in Senate Nayyar Hussain Bukhari to provide the House a complete list of the illegal occupants of the Lodges within a week.
Senator Mushahiddulah drew the Houses attention towards the deteriorating financial position of PIA. He said pilots were posted at nearly all the key positions who also took flights to receive extra amounts.
Senator Tahir Mashhadi regretted over the increase in electricity and gas tariffs and the resultant increase in public transport fares. The House was adjourned till Friday.