"Due to external pressures President Asif Ali Zardair cancelled his visit to Iran at the 11th hour when both the neighbouring countries were close to signing the final agreement on gas pipeline project. Despite the fact that Iran has offered million of dollars to Pakistan to meet its project expenditure, Asif Ali Zardari cancelled his visit to Iran on dictation and pressure of external forces, which multiplied the difficulties and miseries of the nation, suffering due to severe gas shortage." PML-N parliamentarians, Abdual Qadir Baloch and Abid Sher Ali said on a point of order in the National Assembly.
Criticising the government move, the parliamentarians maintained that Pak-Iran gas project was a hope for Pakistan to meet its growing demand of gas. Iran has completed half of the project, as it had laid down the gas pipeline up to Pakistani boarder. To abandon the project at this stage might cause financial problems for Pakistan as according to international rules the country is bound to pay the penalty, worth millions.
They said that Iran was a neighbouring brotherly Islamic country and co-operation and strengthening of bilateral ties would benefit Pakistan greatly. Gas pipeline from Iran would help Pakistan ensure smooth supply of gas to the industry which had been on the verge of collapse, they added.
Abid Sher Ali also criticised the political parties, opposing the construction of Kalabag Dam, and stated that a well-thought out conspiracy was being hatched to make the fertile lands of the country barren. He termed the conspiracy as a form of financial terrorism, saying that our neighbouring country India has constructed several dams to meet water requirements for agriculture while the situation is completely different in Pakistan. "For God sake save the fertile land of the country, the government must construct dams anywhere in the country, if consensus can not be developed on the construction of Kalalbag Dam," he added.
MNA Shakeela Khanam Rashid drew the attention of Minister for National Heritage and Integration towards the sale and auction of precious Gandhara artifacts to Western Museums, causing grave concern amongst the public. In response, PPP's Chief Whip Syed Khrushid Shah told the house that under UNESCO 1970 convention, which imposes Prohibition and Prevention on the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, Pakistan has the right to contact western countries for the return of Ghandhar artifacts. However, Pakistan has not signed any formal agreement with the United States of America in this regard, he added.
He said that around 50 sculptures including Sadha's statue have been smuggled to the US. The negotiations with the US regarding the return of smuggled artifacts could be carried out through foreign office, as there is no formal agreement between the two countries in this regard.
However, the government would ask the British government to return Gandhara artifacts kept in London Museum under UNESCO 1970 convention. He accepted that the government has failed to provide proper surveillance to the Ghandhara area spreading over KPK and Punjab.
Speaking on a point of order, MQM member Iqbal Mohammed Ali said that Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) had not reinstated dozens of poor workers while it reinstated even those employees who had been involved in corruption. Khurshid Shah replied that the employees had been sacked in 1997 when the MQM was in power so the responsibility should not be shifted to the current government. He said those employees did not fall under the law passed by the Parliament that had reinstated the employees sacked during 1993 to 1996, so he could not move beyond that Act. He said that he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister.