*ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday presided over a meetingof the federal cabinet to discuss the 13-point agenda at Prime Minister’sOffice.*
The cabinet exchanged views about the Saudi crown prince’s visit. The forumalso rejected the Indian propaganda over the Pulwama incident. It alsoendorsed the decisions made during a meeting of the National SecurityCommittee
The cabinet was informed that Prime Minister’s office has taken lead incutting down its expenditure by 31% during the current financial year,resulting in savings of Rs 303 million.
The savings have been made under various heads including pay andallowances, food expenses, motor vehicle fuel and cash rewards. The primeminister, while reiterating his call for maximum possible cut inexpenditure, urged all the ministers to ensure that the government’sausterity drive is implemented in letter and spirit.
It was decided that in future a panel of suitable officers for postingagainst the slot of secretary of a ministry would be proposed by ahigh-level committee, to be headed by the Advisor to Prime Minister onEstablishment and having Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood, theconcerned Minister-in-Charge, Secretary Establishment and Secretary toPrime Minister as its members.
It was decided that normal tenure on the post would be two years.Continuation of tenure will be subject to review by the minister in chargeafter initial six months. It was also decided that normal tenure of twoyears can be extended to three years on the basis of performance review bythe prime minister in consultation with the minister in charge.
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The cabinet granted ex-post facto approval of MOU on industrial cooperationbetween National Development and Reform Commission of China and FederalBoard of Investment of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The cabinet ratifiedthe decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on State Owned Enterprises(CCoSOEs) in its meeting held on 02-01-2019.
The cabinet granted ex-post-facto approval for appointments ofAdministrator and Deputy Administrators made in Abandoned PropertiesOrganization. The cabinet approved appointment of Azhar Hameed as Chairman,Employees Old Age Benefit Institution (EOBI). The cabinet approved aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Yunnan Minzu University (YMU),China and National University of Modern Languages (NUML). The cabinetapproved a proposal to appoint M/S Horwath Hussain Chaudhry & Co to auditthe accounts of NADRA for the Financial Year 2017-18.
The cabinet ratified Visa Abolition Agreement between Islamic Republic ofPakistan and the Republic of Cyprus for Diplomatic and Official/ServicePassport Holders. The cabinet approved appointment of Raja Amer Khan asChairman, Implementation Tribunal for Newspaper Employees (ITNE). Thecabinet approved appointment of Justice Shahid Karim as Judge of theSpecial Court and Justice Tahira Safdar as President of the Special Court,constituted under Criminal Law Amendment (Special Court) Act, 1976 (ActXVII of 1976).
The cabinet also approved composition of Steering Committee for SustainableDevelopment Goals Achievement Programme (SAP). The cabinet approvedMemorandum of Understanding between Government of Pakistan and ChinaOverseas Ports Holdings Company Limited under Clean Green Pakistan Movement(CGP-M). The cabinet also approved revision of visa-fee for variouscountries under visa liberalization regime. The prime minister during themeeting directed a nation-wide campaign be formulated to launch crackdownagainst the sale of adulterated milk.
