PMLN Govt Plans to Lease Out PSM for 45 Years

Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) has become Pakistan's first Govt institution after PIA to file continuously for losses. So far, it has reached to a record $5 billion debt as losses over the last 3 years have doubled.  

Moonis Elahi, a young Pakistani parliamentarian, has denounced incumbent government's decision, and termed it a strategy to create opportunities to plunder Pakistan. The country's largest industrial complex would be leased to a private firm which succeeds in presenting the highest revenue sharing proposal. It has been revealed that almost 5000 employees would be laid off. A transaction committee on Monday discussed the various options and the lease term would be finalized on Tuesday 17th January 2017.

The present state of PSM is due to over hiring, unchecked corruption, inefficiency and the Govt's non serious attitude towards it said Moonis Elahi. The PSM’s accumulated losses and liabilities, which stood at Rs26bn at the end of 2008, have increased to around Rs415bn, including Rs166bn payable liabilities.  

The government has injected over Rs85bn out of the federal budget for various bailout packages since then. Since the PMLN's government, PSM's losses have doubled and the talks to lease or sell it had started surfacing quite early. It has been decided that the land would remain Govt property whle the building and machinery will be given on lease.

Moonis Elahi Condemns Terrorist Attack on Samaa DSNG Van

A DSNG van owned by Samaa, a private news channel was attacked by unknown armed men in the North Nazimabad Area Karachi. While the rest of the crew survived the ambush, the assistant cameraman received a bullet to the head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to the injury.  

Moonis Elahi was the first to denounce the cowardly attack by terrorists on the media van. He further said incumbent government has failed to provide protection to the citizens of Karachi and crime in the metropolis is increasing rapidly. The reason of attack is still unknown and no group has yet claimed responsibility.

The incident happened when a police van came under a cracker attack. No police officials were hurt during the cracker attack. SSP Central Muqaddas Haider said the same suspects might be involved in both the incidents and added the cracker attack on the police vehicle did not cause any damage. It is speculated that the main target of the assailants was the media team rather than the police. The cracker was used as a bait to lure in a media team and when Samaa was the first to reach the spot, it was targeted. 

Moonis Elahi has insisted that the real culprits be caught and the real story behind the attack be brought to light.

Additional Police Surgeon Dr Rohina Hasan confirmed the victim arrived with a bullet wound to the head and died while under treatment. The young man had received a fatal wound to the head and couldn't survive. She further added that no post mortem had yet been conducted. 

Moonis Elahi expressed his condolences and prayed for the departed soul. A police team is investigating the case and IG Police Sindh, A D Khowaja has taken a "strong notice" of the attack. Attacks on media teams is not new in Karachi as earlier in September 2015 another Samaa DSNG van was attacked.

ARY news head office also came under attack in Karachi earlier when MQM supremo Altaf Hussain urged his workers to attack the media during their sit-in in Karachi. Moonis Elahi urged the Sindh government to ensure safety of the media personnel working in Karachi. He said the media works selflessly to keep the nation alert of all the happenings in the country. If they are repeatedly attacked it would become difficult for them to work in Karachi. The city has a dark history of housing terrorists while the police seems helpless. It is time this menace be wiped out from the metropolis completely.

All Party Conference gathered to debate only on the issue of Kalabagh Dam

Pakistan has never been the best buddy of its neighbor India and most of the time the two can be seen fighting over issues in the international forums like the UN. Presently, India has found it amusing to dry out Pakistan by building dams on the Chenab river while Pakistani ruling party PMLN has been busy in devising strategies to make more money and send it to their children abroad. When Modi announced his decision to revoke the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) Pakistan rushed to the World Bank to refrain India from going ahead with it. Moonis Elahi, the young PMLQ politician had stated before that PMLN must take necessary actions to hit the nail in time and India would be stopped for good.



But, since it is PMLN's policy to leave every matter unattended no matter how important it may be, the dispute over IWT in WB wasn't followed up aggressively. Pakistan's lack of interest over the issue has already provided India the leverage it seeks and delaying a conclusion would certainly not be in the favor of Pakistan. Moonis Elahi has urged the government time and again to initiate building the Kalabagh Dam which is a permanent solution to India's threat. As the dam would not be filled with Indian waters, it can be a ticket to prosperity, an investment which would prove to be fruitful long term. While some prominent Pakistani politicians have taken up their agenda fueled by enemy funding, to criticize KBD without a reason, it has become a highly controversial issue. Moonis Elahi has reminded the incumbent government numerous times that if they please to really sort out the matter, it can be done very quickly. The solution lies in an All Party Conference gathered to debate only on the issue of Kalabagh Dam. Every party would be given a chance to represent it's province and either defend the dam or argue on it. A unanimous vote must be cast and all fears of the opposing parties must be cleared so that KBD may become a reality.

 

It is time to unite and discuss about Pakistan rather than personal interests. As our neighbors China and India plan on expanding their dams to overcome water and electricity shortages in their countries, Pakistan is busy building roads and putting more people on the streets. If we don't act today, the future would be dry and a thirsty Pakistan with severe climatic changes and many unknown diseases. Moonis Elahi says it correct that PMLN is risking the future of Pakistan through its looting spree while ignoring important facts such as the Kalabagh Dam. We need it now and shouldn't waste time over criticizing without proof. The black sheep must be thrown out who hinder Pakistan's progress and prosperity