Saudi team’s visit boosted Pak-KSA ties: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the visit of a Saudi investment delegation to Islamabad is a significant headway in the relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The prime minister, chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet, appreciated federal ministers, government officers and staffers for their efforts to ensure the success of the Saudi delegation’s visit, a PM Office press release said on Tuesday. The cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Aviation, accorded approval to the Air Sial to launch its flight operations for China, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkiye, the United Kingdom and Kuwait. The approval was granted under the National Aviation Policy 2023 and the Air Services Agreement. It also gave a nod to signing of a memorandum of understanding for formation of a joint trade committee between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Columbia. It approved transferring the control of the Directorate General of Special Education from the Human Rights Ministry to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. The body endorsed the decisions of the Cabinet Committee on Chinese investment projects taken in its meeting held on April 30.

Meanwhile, chairing a meeting over the Track and Trace System of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the prime minister directed initiation of strict departmental proceedings against the officials held responsible in an inquiry report for showing negligence in the enforcement of Track and Trace System (T&T) with flawed planning and inflicting losses to the national economy, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release on Tuesday.

The system had been introduced to monitor production at cigarette manufacturing, fertilizer, sugar and cement industries, identification of counterfeit products and ending of smuggling.

The prime minister observed that faulty planning in the system and negligence in its enforcement caused the national economy to suffer.

The report of an inquiry committee formed to probe the issue was presented before the prime minister. The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers including Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ahad Khan Cheema, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Jahanzaib Khan, Chairman FBR Malik Amjad Zubair Tiwana and other officials. The members of the inquiry committee, Secretary Finance Imdad Bosal, Awais Kundi, Nauman Khalid and Babar Majid Bhati, also attended the meeting.

The prime minister questioned why certain important provisions were neglected with haste over the enforcement of the significant national project?

According to the inquiry report, the project director and the member Operations Inland of that period were found guilty of neglect whereas the report also fixed the main responsibility on the officials working on those posts. The FBR chairman working during that tenure was also held responsible for the poor administrative supervision.

The prime minister directed reviewing the licence along with the agreement besides inclusion of provisions with regard to a third-party audit and alternate system for solution to disputes. The PM appreciated the inquiry committee for submission of a comprehensive report.

Also on Tuesday, Shehbaz held a telephonic conversation with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the UAE president on the demise of his uncle Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohamed Al Nahyan and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul as well as patience for the royal family to bear this irreparable loss. He said the people of Pakistan always held the UAE royal family in high esteem and lauded the leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the UAE, who was a great friend of Pakistan.

The UAE president thanked the prime minister for the telephone call. Both leaders reaffirmed their resolve to enhance bilateral ties between the two brotherly countries. They also agreed to meet soon at a mutually convenient date.