ISLAMABAD, Dec 14 (INP): The government on Friday informed the Senate that during the last five years Rs more than 2 billion have been spent on PM House.

The ministers including Firogh Naseem, Dr Shireen Mazari and Ali Mohammad Khan answering the queries of Senators during the Question Hour on Friday said that during 2013-14, Rs 380,000,000, 2014-15, Rs 370,000,000, 2015-16, Rs 410,000,000, 2016-17 Rs 500,000,000 and during 2017-18 Rs more than 500,000,000 have been spent on PM House.

They told the Senate that 350,447 cases are pending in Supreme Court and high courts and election on 16 seats for Khyber Assembly after the merger of FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be held before July 25 next year and the constituencies for the 16 seats would be completed till March 4, 2019. They said that the government had started mass awareness campaign regarding human rights. They also said there is need for jail reforms.

Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar Friday informed the Senate that price of dollar against rupee had been maintained artificially by spending $ 8 billion from foreign reserves in the past. Responding to a Calling Attention notice raised by Sherry Rehman regarding record devaluation of Pak rupees against US dollar, the minister said the government inherited worst economic situation and making all out efforts to put it on right track.

Giving details, he said in December 2017, rupee rate against dollar was Rs. 104, in May 2018, it was Rs. 124 and in June 2018, it further jumped to Rs. 129. Clarifying the statement attributed to the Governor State Bank of Pakistan, he said rupee would not be further depreciated.

However, the minister could not complete his answer due to pointing out of quorum by PML-N Senator Ashok Kumar. Later, the House was adjourned to meet again on Monday at 2:00 pm.

Meanwhile, as many as two reports of standing committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination regarding getting of WHO certification of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2018, were presented in the House.

Chairman of Standing Committee Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh presented both the reports.