KARACHI: Five bills including the Pakistan Industrial Finance Corporation Bill, were passed by the Dominion Parliament, in its 80-minute session, on Thursday [Feb 17]. The Finance Minister ... announced that the Government proposed to link up grant of import licences with industrial investment, to divert a portion of the capital rushing towards commerce, to accelerate industrialisation. The remaining four Bills ... were: the Railways (Transport of Goods) (Amendment) Bill; the Diplomatic and Consular Officers (Oaths and Fees) (Amendment) Bill; the Sind Electricity Control (Amendment) Bill; and the Indian Partnership (Amendment) Bill.

Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar introduced the Chittagong Port (Amendment) Bill, seeking to appoint a new Chairman of the Chittagong Port in place of the General Manager of the East Pakistan Railway Chairman ex-officio and to increase the number of Port Commissioners from 12 to 17.

Five members participated in the debate on the Finance Corporation Bill. They all agreed that it was a welcome measure but differed on the policy and scope of the corporation. Staff correspondent