Cabinet gives nod to amend law to repatriate wanted Pakistanis

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has given its nod to amending the Pakistan Penal Code to repatriate wanted Pakistani citizens living abroad — in particular, in European countries — Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said, following a cabinet meeting.

“It is an effort to bring back people like Altaf Hussain, Ishaq Dar, Hussain Nawaz, and Hassan Nawaz,” the minister was quoted as saying by state media while briefing reporters following the cabinet meeting.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Khan assured the federal cabinet and the nation that the government’s crackdown against terrorists “will continue and the menace of terrorism will soon be eliminated”, Chaudhry quoted the Premier as saying.

“The government is fast moving on the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), and it is not far when terrorism will be eradicated from the country,” the minister added. He said external factors were involved in the terrorist incidents in the country, and the government was close to completely destroying that infrastructure.

Chaudhry said: “The cabinet has decided to further discuss Asset Declaration Scheme, and a meeting to this effect has been convened by the Prime Minister tomorrow (Wednesday).”

The minister also said Prime Minister Khan would launch landmark housing scheme on Wednesday. “Under the first phase, 135,000 apartments will be constructed,” he added.

The information minister said it was decided recruitments in government departments from scale one to five would henceforth be made through balloting. The workings of the Federal Public Service Commission would also be improved and the Establishment Division was given the task to revamp testing service companies.

Chaudhry said Pakistan Steels Mills (PSM) will be revamped, and six companies have showed interest in the plan. He said for the time being, the PSM will be run on public-private partnership. The minister said the capacity of the office of Auditor General of Pakistan will be enhanced, and Adviser on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr Ishrat Husain has been given the task to present recommendations for it in two months.

The minister said Lok Virsa has been assigned the job of establishing cultural and media centres at Kartarpur.About the ongoing accountability process, the minister said it will continue and law will take its course. He said the current crisis-like economic condition has been caused by the corruption of the last two governments.