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Friday March 29, 2024

Cabinet appreciates poll arrangements by ECP

By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
June 23, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet in its meeting while reviewing the process for electioneering in the country has expressed satisfaction about the arrangements made by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the upcoming general elections.

The members of the cabinet discussed the overall situation in the country in informal manner and reiterated their resolve to hold the polls as per schedule on July 25. Well-placed sources told The News here on Friday that federal Interior Minister Azam Khan briefed the cabinet colleagues about the law and order situation prevailing in the country.

He maintained that the security situation has to be watched with extreme care for holding the general elections in satisfactory way. It has been earlier reported that Interior Ministry is apprehensive about taking place foreign sponsored subversive activities to scuttle the process. It has been officially stated that Prime Minister Justice (R) Nasir-ul-Mulk chaired the meeting of the Federal Cabinet at Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday. The Cabinet accepted resignation of Managing Director Bait-ul-Mal, Barrister Abid Waheed Sheikh, and approved giving additional charge of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal to Additional Secretary Cabinet Division. The Cabinet accorded its approval to signing of an MoU between the Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Government of the Republic of Sudan for cooperation in human resource development. Government of Pakistan’s US Dollars Denominated Amnesty Bonds Rules, 2018 was approved by the Cabinet.

The Cabinet expressed condolences over the demise of veteran diplomat Jamsheed Marker and paid a glowing tribute to his services in the field of diplomacy and for the country. Highly placed sources told The News that the Cabinet didn’t take up the question of placing Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on the exit control lost (ECL) since it wasn’t on the agenda. The three member committee of federal ministers for law, interior and finance set up to submit its recommendation regarding the NAB reference for placing the two on ECL deferred its huddle till next week.

The committee asked for some reports pertaining to the reference, the sources added. The federal cabinet also accorded approval to the summary for extradition of three persons who had committed heinous offences including killing in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) and fled to Pakistan. Two of the accused are wanted in the UAE while the third by the Saudi government. The matter will be examined by a judicial magistrate before the extradition, the sources said.

In the meanwhile federal government has removed Marvi Memon from the office of chairperson of BISP. She was appointed by the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government but she declined to submit resignation. Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk has referred summary for her dismissal to the President. Marvi enjoyed the status of federal minister.