Islamabad: The National Assembly was briefed today on government efforts to improve rail travel and freight services through international collaborations, as well as developments in health and religious affairs.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan detailed ongoing discussions with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia aimed at enhancing Pakistan Railways’ operations. He highlighted progress on the ML-1 project and reiterated the government’s commitment to upgrading rail services. In addition, Minister Khan informed the assembly about a specialized Cancer Hospital under construction in Islamabad, slated to become fully operational by the end of the current fiscal year. This facility will include a 200-bed unit for cancer patients at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMs).
Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhary Salik Hussain addressed the reduced flow of Sikh pilgrims to the Kartarpur Corridor, attributing the decline to restrictions imposed by India, while confirming that no impediments exist on the Pakistani side.
Furthermore, Minister for Water Resources Musadik Malik reported on financial disbursements related to hydel profits and water user charges. Over the past decade, payments totaling 216 billion rupees to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 73.45 billion rupees to Punjab, and 6.4 billion rupees to Azad Jammu and Kashmir have been made.
The session concluded with the announcement that the House would reconvene tomorrow at eleven AM.