Dear Zafar Sahib
Salams
Could you please publish this report for me in Sada-e-Watan Sydney.
Thanks
Mohammed Ali
Canberra
Pakistan's Members of Parliament visited Melb. Canberra & Sydney
(A Brief Report from Canberra)
Allah Yar Khan, Liaquat Baloch, Ghulam Rasool Sahi, Prof Aasia Azeem
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It was an event in Canberra with a difference. The air
inside the small restaurant in North Canberra chosen for the event, a welcome
dinner, was that of openness and constructive criticism. The dinner was hosted
by Pakistan High Commission, Canberra, in honour of Mr Malik Allah Yar Khan,
Chairman, Pakistan Public Accounts Committee and his team, who is currently
visiting Australia to attend a week long series of seminars on 'Public Accounts'
arranged at La Trobe University, Victoria, under the auspices of the World Bank.
The members of Mr Khan's team include Prof Aasia Azeem, Mr Liaquat Baloch and Mr
Ghulam Rasool Sahi. A high ranking government official from National Assembly
Secretariat is also part of the visiting group. Pakistan's Public Accounts
Committee is one of the many high powered committees set by the National
Assembly of Pakistan to ensure honest and corruption free administration and to
implement the rules of the law. The memb! ers of the committee are chosen from
among the elected members of the National Assembly.
In presence of a group of around 50 Pakistanis residing in Canberra, Acting High
Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr Sarfraz Khanzada, introduced the visiting guests to
the attendees. In his introductory remarks, Mr Khanzada said it was his honour
to welcome the visiting guests in Canberra. He further said, " This gathering is
a unique opportunity for local Pakistanis to mingle with the visitors and ask
them with questions relating to Pakistan". What followed was a barrage of
questions on topics ranging from Pakistan's politics to party politics and
Pakistan's past to its current standing in the world. And, one and a half hour
question answer session prior to dinner seemed a figment of time, vanished even
before it started.
In an answer to a question on the past practices of leniency towards
accountability by the Pakistani governments, Mr Malik Allah Yar Khan assured the
attendees that the matters of corruption brought to the notice of the current
committee are/will be dealt with honesty and sincerity. He proposed to forget
'the past' and focus all energies on the future of Pakistan. He said he believes
that the best way for a country to prosper is that of 'democracy', but the
compelling circumstances in 1999 demanded the changes in power in Pakistan.
Talking of the expectations from the overseas Pakistanis, Mr Khan said he was
proud of overseas Pakistanis' contribution to the development of Pakistan. He
specifically mentioned the current devastation of October 2005 in Kashmir and
highly appreciated the contributions of all overseas Pakistanis in this respect.
"The overwhelming response to this catastrophe from within Pakistan and
Pakistanis settled abroad has yet again made every one proud", he said. The
overseas Pakistanis should keep their efforts conspicuous in assisting with the
development of Pakistan in all aspects, he carried on. He also thanked the
Australian Government for its generous help in this regard.
A number of questions were directed to Mr Liaquat Baloch, Secretary Muttahida
Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the National
Assembly. In response to a question on the wide spread religious hatred in
Pakistan and failure of political parties in stopping the outrage, Mr Baloch
said, ' the problem has a long history and can not be solved within months'. He,
however, said 'the paths of unity are emerging fast'.
Mr Baloch appreciated the role of the parties currently represented in the
National Assembly of Pakistan and particularly praised the MMA and its allied
parties. He said "the unity in the MMA was unprecedented". He also appreciated
the overall economic situation of Pakistan. Responding to a question on slow
dispersion of government rehabilitation fund in the affected part of Kashmir, Mr
Baloch said that the process should complete in two to three months. He reminded
that the volume of the devastation was so enormous that it was hard for any
government to cope up with the demands immediately. He also thanked all foreign
governments for their help in Kashmir.
A member of the Pakistani community drew the attention of the visitors to the
pending decision of the Pakistani government to construct Pakistan embassy's own
building in Canberra. It was some 30 years ago that a piece of land in a prime
area of Canberra was allocated by the Australian Government for this purpose.
This plot has yet not seen any building on it and ever since Pakistani Embassy
has been in a rental building paying a handsome amount of money as rent every
month. During the discussion on this topic, Mr Khanzada filled in the audience
with the information that the current government has taken good notice of this
issue and has adopted a policy to built four embassies abroad every year. He was
hopeful that Canberra's turn will come soon.
The event was arranged on a few hours notice and its credit goes to the Acting
High Commissioner, who along with the Defence Attache of Pakistan Brig. Imran
Malik, did a good job and provided an opportunity for a direct talk with the
visiting members of the National Assembly.
