Govt plans third party evaluation of PSDP projects: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: The government had planned third party evaluation of development projects to ensure transparency, said Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Tuesday, as he told media the federal cabinet would monitor the implementation of Public Sector Development Programme’s (PSDP) projects.

Briefing the media on the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said a mechanism would be evolved to ensure timely availability of funds for development schemes.

The minister said Rs900 billion had been allocated under PSDP for the next fiscal year, adding most of the mega projects for the Sindh province would be financed from the programme. Hussain said the cabinet had approved the implementation of storm-water drain projects under the Karachi Transformation Programme. The cabinet also approved the National Digital Cable Policy, he added. He said the digitalisation of cable would improve the quality and ensure access to more television channels. He said: “We will also give rights to the cable operators to purchase content.”

Hussain said there was a proposal to reopen cinemas from the June 30, adding a final decision to that effect would be taken by the National Command and Operations Centre. He said the cabinet also approved the appointment of community welfare attaches in seven countries. He further said on the complaints of overseas Pakistanis, two officers of Pakistani embassy in Saudi Arabia had been called back.

The minister said the cabinet also discussed the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the elections. Hussain said the Election Commission of Pakistan had been given presentation on the EVMs. He said the EVMs had been developed as per the aspiration of the ECP. He said it was the government’s desire that the next elections to be conducted through those voting machines.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs briefed the Prime Minister about the Elections Second Amendment Bill recently passed by the National Assembly.

It was informed that that piece of legislation had been forwarded to the Senate for approval. He said: “We consider overseas Pakistanis an important part of Pakistan and our priority is to give them the right to franchise.”