Cabinet approves auction of gifts received by PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday chaired the farewell meeting of the federal cabinet wherein it was told that the federal body made 1,295 decisions in 53 sessions during the last 15 months.

In the meeting, the cabinet secretary presented a detailed report on the cabinet’s performance from April 20, 2022 to August 8, 2023.

It was told that of the 1,295 decisions, around 99 percent were implemented.

The prime minister thanked the cabinet members for their untiring efforts for the country’s development.

The cabinet offered Fateha for those who lost their lives in an accident of Hazara Express that took place near Nawabshah. The body approved the draft of National Music Policy as well as the National Aviation Policy 2023. Under the National Music Policy, the application of legal frameworks and modern technological resources would be used to protect the musical heritage of Pakistan, promote contemporary music, and prevent the plagiarism of musicians’ works.

On the prime minister’s instructions, the cabinet approved the auction of all the valuable gifts received by him during the last 15 months in a transparent manner. He directed that the proceeds should be donated to organisations working for the welfare of orphans and destitute children in Pakistan. The cabinet also decided that the public would be able to participate in the auction process.

On the Commerce Ministry’s recommendation, the meeting approved the appointment of Abdul Rasheed Sheikh, Naeem Anwar, Iqbal Tabish and Ahmed Sheraz as the technical members of the National Tariff Commission. The appointments of Salman S Mehdi as chairman of Board of Directors of State Life Insurance and Saleemullah as deputy governor of State Bank of Pakistan were also approved.

After detailed consultation on the summary of appointment of managing director/ chief executive officer of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), the body decided that the vacancy would be re-advertised.

The cabinet approved the inclusion of cabinet members in various committees of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). As per the decision, the federal minister for law and justice would be the member of the apex committee; federal minister for information and broadcasting would be a member of the apex committee and executive committee; and foreign secretary would be the member of executive committee and the implementation committee.

In addition, the cabinet also approved the appointment of Dr Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan as the Secretary Apex Committee of SIFC. It approved the establishment of SIFC Secretariat and appointment of Jameel Ahmed Qureshi as secretary/principal accounting officer.

The appointment of Arshad Saleem Khattak as chief executive officer of Railways Estate Development and Marketing Company was also okayed.