Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira told media after the cabinet meeting that the Prime Minister had constituted a committee comprising Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar and Minister for Political Affairs Mula Bux Chandio to hold meetings with all the political stakeholders in Karachi and submit a report on the latest incident of killings in Karachi.
The Prime Minister also constituted a 12-member committee on Balochistan, which would be headed by Minister for Law and Justice having three members from Balochistan Cabinet along with Minister for Interior Rehman Malik. Kaira said that Prime Minister had directed the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary to appear before the court in Quetta.
The Minister said the unconditional invitation by the Nato Secretary General to the President was a clear indication that Pakistan stance has prevailed. He said the Cabinet meeting congratulated the President on his successful participation in the Nato Summit in Chicago and acknowledged the role played by the President in presenting Pakistan's principled stand on various issues related to Nato.
The Federal Cabinet also expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the visit of Turkey's Prime Minister to Pakistan. The Cabinet appreciated his address to the Joint Session and for expressing his understanding with the stance taken by Pakistan on the Nato supply blockade.
The Minister said that Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Chairman, of the Cabinet Committee on Energy, briefed the meeting about the energy situation in the country. The Prime Minister directed the Law Ministry for drafting necessary legislations to deal severely with the issue of power theft, defaulters and recovery. He fully empowered the committee to take any decision that it deemed suitable in this regard.
The Cabinet meeting reviewed the implementation status of Cabinet decisions pertaining to State and Frontier Regions Division and Board of Investment. The Cabinet was informed that 67% of its decisions pertaining to States and Frontier Regions had been implemented so far and the remaining were under implementation. The Cabinet was further informed that 84% of its decisions pertaining to Board of Investment had already been implemented while the remaining under process of implementation.
The Cabinet considered and gave its approval to confirmation of the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) decision of May 15, 2012 and approved amendment to the CDA Ordinance, 1960. The Finance Division gave a presentation to the Cabinet on Consumer Price Index in the country to oversee/discuss the trend of prices of essential commodities.
The Cabinet granted approval to the signing of draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Military Technical Co-operation between the General Interim Committee for Defence Libya and Ministry of Defence Pakistan. The Cabinet considered and accorded its approval to amendment in the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance Act, 1969 (Act-II of 1969).
The proposal to amend Section 4(1)(c) of Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance Act, 1969 to be introduced by Law and Justice Division through official Bill placed before the Cabinet for its consideration/approval in terms of Rule 27(5)(a)(i) of the Rules of Business, 1973.
The Minister said the Cabinet considered and gave its approval to the membership of the Inter-Governmental Organisation for international Carriage by Rail (OTIF) and Accession (signing) of the Convention Concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF). The Cabinet in its meeting held on December 15, 2010 approved, in principle, a proposal of the Ministry of Railways for this membership.
OTIF currently has 43 Member States in Europe, North Africa, the Near East and Asia and has also entered into a joint venture with the Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) with specific reference to Iran and Turkey. Member States having acceded to the Convention comply with uniform rules of international carriage, use of rail infrastructure and facilitation of technical standards.
A one-time concession from the Convention rules was allowed to operate the demonstration train on Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad route on August 14, 2009 from Islamabad. The Cabinet considered and gave its approval regarding signing of draft, convention between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Government of the Republic of Seychelles for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
The Convention for avoidance of Double Taxation between the two countries will not only provide safeguards against double taxation on the incomes of the residents of the two countries, but will also promote economic co-operation and strengthen bilateral economic relations. It will also provide adequate certainty in respect of taxation rules applicable to cross-border business transactions, dividends, interest and royalties etc.