ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that Gwadar Port is now fully operational, capable of handling general cargo, containers, and other related operations.
In response to a query during the Question Hour, Parliamentary Secretary for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Wajiha Qamar, stated that the port can accommodate vessels of up to 50,000 DWT and is equipped with the necessary infrastructure to handle bulk cargo and containers efficiently. She also mentioned that several shipments have been processed under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement.
In another reply, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance, Saad Waseem Sheikh, confirmed that the Personal Income Tax rate for the salaried class has not been increased in the current fiscal year’s budget.
Addressing another query, Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce, Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, expressed optimism that Pakistan’s rice exports will reach five billion dollars during the current fiscal year. He highlighted that rice exports for the last fiscal year had already hit 3.8 billion dollars, a significant rise from 2.1 billion dollars in 2022-23. From July to October this year, the total value of rice exports saw a 48.81 percent increase, and the quantity rose by 43.77 percent compared to the same period in 2023-24.
Furthermore, responding to a Calling Attention Notice, Parliamentary Secretary for Cabinet Division, Sajid Mehdi, shared that the government is taking steps, including legislation, to curb the spread of fake news on social media platforms.
He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established a Task Force to tackle the issue of misinformation.
