ISLAMABAD: The Senate began its session at the parliament house in Islamabad today (Friday) with Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani in the chair.

The Senate was informed today that the country’s foreign exchange reserves have increased to about twenty billion dollars.

Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar told the house during question hour that the State Bank of Pakistan has foreign exchange reserves of twelve to thirteen billion dollars. He said the reserves have increased due to improvement in exports and remittances.

The Minister for Industries said there has also been a record debt servicing during the tenure of the present government. He said we are paying back ten billion dollars annually.

Hammad Azhar said the current account has shown a surplus of 1.6 billion dollars during the first five months of current financial year against a deficit of 1.7 billion dollars in the corresponding period last year.

The Minister for Industries said that special economic zones will be constructed under the mega China Pakistan Economic Corridor project. He said construction work on three SEZs has been expedited.  He said projects worth 1.7 billion dollars are in the phase of implementation in Gwadar under the CPEC. He said two projects have already been completed while seven projects worth 1.2 billion dollars projects are in the execution phase.

Adviser on Commerce and Trade Abdul Razak Dawood informed the house that the government is taking concrete steps to boost exports.

He said during Corona pandemic the government provided a stimulus package worth 180 billion rupees to industries.

The Adviser said, our government strengthened its economic ties with African countries under its Look Africa Policy to enhance the outreach of Pakistani goods in international markets. Trade committees have been formed to conduct bilateral trade negotiations with various countries.

Meanwhile, The National Assembly began its session at Parliament House in Islamabad today (Friday) with speaker Asad Qaisaer in the chair.

The National Assembly met briefly at the Parliament House in Islamabad today.

At the outset, the house offered Fateha for the departed souls of MNA Pir Noor Muhammad Shah Jeelani, Senator Kulsoom Parveen, mothers of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, former President Pervez Musharraf and Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq,  former Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali and others.

PPP leader Naveed Qamar and Shakoor Shah appreciated the services of Late MNA Pir Noor Muhammad Shah Jeelani and described him as a soft spoken person and a spiritual personality.

Later, the chair adjourned the proceedings of the house till Monday at four pm without taking up agenda of the day due to the death of the sitting MNA.