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Cabinet forms task forces to implement 100-day plan

The Federal Cabinet during its third meeting Tuesday discussed the 100 days plan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government and constituted task forces for its timely implementation to create 10 million jobs, build 5 million new houses, FATA''s merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, review of China Pakistan Economic Corridor, and amendments in accountability laws and civil laws.

By APP
August 28, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet during its third meeting Tuesday discussed the 100 days plan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government and constituted task forces for its timely implementation to create 10 million jobs, build 5 million new houses, FATA''s merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, review of China Pakistan Economic Corridor, and amendments in accountability laws and civil laws.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Ahmed Chaudhry briefing the media about the cabinet decisions , flanked by Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Asalm said the cabinet constituted a task force headed by Law Minister Farogh Naseem to amend the national accountability laws, which would present its recommendations for the cabinet''s approval.

He said the cabinet also formed a committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) headed by Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar and Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed would be its member.

It would present a complete review of the CPEC projects to the prime minister.

Over $28 billion worth CPEC projects including $ 22 billion energy schemes were in progress while about $ 46 billion worth projects were in the pipeline.

He said the cabinet decided to remove National Bank of Pakistan chairman Saeed Ahmed Khan, who was involved in money laundering along with former finance minister Ishaq Dar.

A task force had also been formed for amendments in civil laws as there was great need to improve the system, he said.

Amendments in the relevant laws would also be made to ensure the women got their due share in inheritance and social campaigns would be launched to create awareness among the people in that regard, he added.

Fawad Chaudhry said anti-terrorism laws would be reviewed and proposals would be submitted within 90 days while NACTA would be made more functional.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governor and chief minister, and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Establishment Akbar Shahzad would take steps to remove hurdles in the merger of FATA in the KP and speed up that process.

For creation of the South Punjab province, a committee comprising Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar was constituted which would approach other political parties for reaching consensus on a workable plan as two-third majority in the parliament was needed for the purpose.

He said the prime minister would be given review of the work of task forces on the100-day plan after every 15 days.

He said reforms in governance and civil service were need of the hour and a report in that connection would be prepared within 90 days.

Replying to media persons questions, he said the issue of high prices of commodities could not be resolved merely by raiding traders and shopkeepers, rather through revival of the national economy.

He said the government had no plan to terminate the services of contractual employees in the government institutions.

However he said that induction of favorites in the public sector organizations in the past ruined the economy and the institutions.

The government’s job was to create employment opportunities and not to provide jobs, he added.

The minister said a committee headed by Akbar Shahzad was working on unlawful assets abroad and it would present its report within 15 days.

To a question he said honest government officials should not worry as only those involved in corruption would have to face the music.

He said the opposition parties had offered to cooperate with the government on the condition that court cases against their leaders should be withdrawn, however, any compromise on the issue of accountability was out of question.

About the use of a helicopter by the prime minister, he said, he used helicopter once a week to avoid inconvenience to the general public and use of security vehicles.

He clarified that transfer of District Police Officer of Pakpattan was a provincial matter and the prime minister had nothing to do with it.

The minister said that he was always available to help resolve problems of the working journalists.

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said the PTI government would launch a countrywide tree plantation campaign under its 10 billion tree plantation drive on September 2, by planting 1.5 million saplings on the same day.

He urged all Pakistanis to actively participate in the campaign by collecting saplings free of charge from the 190 pick up points to be established in the big cities.

To a question, he said the last Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had successfully completed its one billion tree drive in the province during its five-year tenure.

He said for the first time in the KP''s history, wood was imported because the KP government successfully launched an operation against the timber mafia and stopped illegal tree cutting.