Govt to go ahead with next fiscal budget tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to stick to its schedule regarding the national budget for next fiscal year as it would be presented in National Assembly tomorrow (Friday).

The federal cabinet will have its special meeting immediately after Juma prayer before starting of the National Assembly session where the budget proposals would be approved for putting up in the Lower House of the Parliament. The Senate will start its session two hours after the commencement of the National Assembly session and the budget will also be placed before Senate on the first day of the sitting.

The federal cabinet that met here Wednesday under Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at the Prime Minister Office (PMO) took important decisions pertaining to the national interest.

The cabinet ratified the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) during its meetings held on 2nd and 3rd April. The cabinet accorded approval to Special Forces Training Agreement between Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and Pakistan Army for training in Nigeria. The cabinet also ratified recommendation of Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) in respect of proposed amendments in Rule 26 of the Drug (Licensing, Registering & Advertising) Rule, 1976 and Amendment in the Jammu and Kashmir (Administration of Property) Rules, 1961.

The meeting accorded approval for appointment of Kamran Basharat Mufti, D&SJ, as Presiding Officer at the Intellectual Property Tribunal, Islamabad. Approval was accorded for repatriation of Azam Anwar Baloch, Judge, Special Court (CNS.I), Karachi and appointment of Ghulam Mustafa Memon, District and Session Judge (BS-21), as Judge Special Court (CNS.I), Karachi in his place.

The cabinet approved appointment of Shahid Masood Manzar as chairman of Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue. Approval was accorded for amendments in the Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Act, 1973 and placement of the amended bill before the Parliament. The cabinet maintained its earlier decision to dissolve the Engineering Development Board (EDB) of the Ministry of Industries and Production.

The cabinet accorded approval for signing of the following MoUs: MoU on Electronic Origin Data Exchange between Customs Administration under China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement; MoU between the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus and the Customs Wing of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on cooperation in exchange of Customs Statistics Data Bilateral Trade; MoU between the Office of the Auditor General of Pakistan and Office of Auditor General of Nepal on cooperation in Public Sector Auditing; MoU between Department of Auditor General of Pakistan and Accounts Chamber of the Republic of Tajikistan on cooperation in Public Sector Auditing.