Cabinet approves 5 Rs4.18t projects with S Arabia

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has decided to accord unprecedented reception to Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, who will be reaching here tomorrow (Saturday) evening, and gave approval to five projects worth Rs4.18 trillion with Saudi Arabia.

The cabinet that had its meeting here Thursday under Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Prime Minister Office (PMO) was briefed about the details of the visit of the royal dignitary from Saudi Arabia.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry while giving details about the decisions of the cabinet told the media that the upcoming visit of the Saudi crown prince is highly significant as it is a milestone in numerous successes of present government at the foreign policy front. He said Pakistan has once again become a key player in the Middle East politics. He reminded that Pakistan’s reconciliatory role has been recognised and Pakistan is making sincere efforts to bridge the differences between various brotherly Muslim countries.

The minister said that during the Saudi crown prince’s visit, the agreements and MoUs to be signed and the overall investment coming into the country will be more than overall investment during the last decade. He said Saudis will invest alone in an oil refinery.

Fawad said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will himself receive and greet Saudi crown prince. The visiting dignitary will be given a salute of 21 guns. He will hold meetings with the prime minister and president, besides attending a number of meetings.

The cabinet decided to provide gas and electricity to various industrial zones in the country on immediate basis in order to facilitate investors. The minister said that liberalisation of visa regime and steps taken to improve ease of doing business will attract more investors. “We are making sincere efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan and the upcoming negotiations between Taliban and US will bring regional stability which will ultimately promote peace, business and prosperity in the region,” he said.

The minister said today’s cabinet meeting also reviewed the progress of previous cabinet meetings. He said so far 26 cabinet meetings have been held with 440 decisions taken. Of these, 243 decisions have been implemented.

Fawad said that the cabinet gave approval to appointment of Zafar Usmani as new chairman of Pakistan State Oil (PSO), along with reconstitution of its Board. He said an overseas Pakistani Adnan Ghani has been appointed as head of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL). He said his appointment gives a message that the PTI government appreciates and recognises the positive contributions of overseas Pakistanis in our economy. The minister said that Naseer Khan Kashani has been appointed chairman of Gwadar Port. He said Essential Services Act has been declared at State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan.

The cabinet was briefed on process of transferring Sheikh Zayed Hospital and other hospitals to the centre. The minister said draft proposal for merger of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority and National Disaster Management Authority was approved. The cabinet also granted approval to Board of Pakistan Institute of Management Sciences. Fawad Chaudhry said a committee has been set up for water payment surcharge issue to Azad Kashmir. He said National Anti-Narcotics Policy was also laid before the cabinet.

The sources told The News that the cabinet discussed law and order situation in the country. The members impressed on the need to tighten the security measures to control the situation. The political situation prevailing in the country was also discussed by the members of the cabinet and different events also came up for discussion by the members of the federal cabinet.

Meanwhile, arrangements for the historic visit of the Saudi crown prince were threadbare discussed in a high echelon meeting that was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The meeting was attended by the senior officials of different ministries and departments which are dealing with the visit of the royal dignitary. It has been officially stated that the high-level preparatory meeting on the visit of Mohammad bin Salman was presided over by Imran Khan. Finance Minister Asad Umer, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Petroleum Minister, Adviser on Commerce, SAPM Yousuf Baig Mirza, SAPM Iftikhar Durrani, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Secretary Information Shafqat Jalil, Secretary Interior Azam Salman Khan, Secretary Finance Arif Ahmad Khan, Corps Commander Rawalpindi Lieutenant General Bilal Akbar, DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor, Chairman BoI and senior officers were present during the meeting.