The National Assembly was informed today that the government has taken several steps to increase local defence production capacity of the country.

Replying to a question during “Question Hour”, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Production Rubina Jamil said Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is striving hard to achieve Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility for the JF-17 aircraft.

She said the complex has acquired ability for indigenous inspection of aircrafts, saving huge foreign exchange.

Rubina Jamil said significant progress has been made on indigenous development of target drones as well as long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles.

She said National Radio Telecommunication Corporation have almost achieved self-sufficiency in radars, jammers, radio sets, besides, development of software based medical equipment, including ventilators.

Speaking on a point of order in the House, Minister for Communication and Postal Services Murad Saeed said the government has recommended inclusion of various roads, including Chakdara-Chitral, Swat-Dera Ismail Khan, and Chitral-Gilgit-Baltistan road, to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

He said a decision to this effect will likely be taken in the next Joint Cooperation Committee meeting of the CPEC.

Four bills were referred to the Joint Sitting of the Parliament for consideration and passage, as these bills were passed only by the National Assembly and not by the Senate within ninety days of its laying in the Upper House.

These bills include, The Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2018, The ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, 2020, The Surveying and Mapping (Amendment) Bill, 2020, and The Federal Public Service Commission (Validation of Rules) Bill, 2020.

Five Ordinances were laid before the House.

These include; The International Court of Justice (Review and Re-consideration) Ordinance, 2020, The Companies (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, The Corporate Restructuring Companies (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, The Companies (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 and The Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

Later, the House resumed discussion on privatization policy of the government.

The House will now meet again tomorrow at 4 p.m.