ISLAMABAD - Outgoing Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday chaired a heavy-agenda cabinet meeting - possibly his last in the office before completing his term on May 31.
The PM, participants of the meeting told The Nation, may hold a farewell cabinet meeting before bowing out.
“That meeting (if held) will only discuss our achievements. Today’s meeting had a heavy agenda,” one minister said.
He said the PM wanted to complete the official business before handing over power to caretaker Prime Minister-Nasirul Mulk.
An official statement issued after the meeting said the cabinet ratified the decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet in its meetings held on 17-05-2018 and 24-05-2018.
Decisions of the Cabinet Committee on Energy taken during its meetings held on May 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14, 2018 were ratified, it said.
The meeting also ratified the decisions of the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases in its meetings held on 23rd and 24th May.2018, the statement said.
The Cabinet approved Memorandum of Agreement between the Ministry of Commerce, Pakistan and the Department of Trade and Industry Government of the Philippines on rice trade. The meeting approved the name of Mujeeb Ahmed Khan for appointment as the Chairman, Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan. Re-Constitution of IPO Policy Board was approved.
The federal cabinet also approved the appointment of Raja Qamar-uz-Zaman, District and Sessions Judge as Judge, Banking Court-II Multan; Appointment of Muhammad Tanveer Akbar, District and Sessions Judge, as Judge, Banking Court-I Lahore. Appointment of Muzzamil Shah Khattak, D&SJ, as Judge, Banking Court-II, Peshawar, was approved.
Appointment of Nazir Bhatti, D&SJ, as Judge, Banking Court, Abbottabad was also approved. Appointment of Arshad Hussain Bhutta as Judge Special Court Customs, Taxation and Anti-Smuggling) Rawalpindi also okayed. Appointment of Judicial Member (BS-21) Customs Appellate Tribunal, Bench-II and Bench-III, Karachi was approved. Appointment of four Members on the Board of Governors of Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan was approved.
The meeting approved expansion and appointments to the Board of Governors of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation.
The Federal Cabinet approved issuance of Charter License, Class-II (Domestic) to K-2 Airways (Pvt) Ltd.
The cabinet approved during the National Internal Security Policy 2018-2023, National Transport Policy of Pakistan, 2018, National Films Policy and the National Culture Policy.
Discussing the issue of Cane Purchase Receipt, the meeting emphasized the need for streamlining the payment mechanism to the farmers and suggested that the provincial governments may ensure that instead of being issued CPRs or blank paper receipts, bank cheques should be issued to the farmers by the sugar mills.
The meeting approved a proposal for transfer of the subjects of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, Youth Activities and Movements and Scholarship Schemes from Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.
Appointment of Managing Director National Engineering Services Pakistan and the Board of Directors of National Security Printing Corporation of Pakistan was approved by the Cabinet. Appointment of DG Civil Aviation Authority, on acting charge basis, was also approved.
The Cabinet approved reconstitution of the 8th Wage Board for Newspapers Employees by appointing two additional members on the Board. A proposal for reconstitution of the Board for Board of Investment was also approved
Amendment in the rules of Acceding States (Abolition of Privy Purses and Privileges) Order, 1972 (President’s Order No. 15 of 1972)- Enhancement of Maintenance Allowance was approved.
The Federal Cabinet also approved Cancer Control Programme formulated by Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination.