ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday decided to establish task forces to bring back money illegally stashed abroad and improve the education system in the country.

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the meeting of the federal cabinet at the PM House. The cabinet reviewed an eight-point agenda and important decisions were taken during the meeting.

Following the meeting, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry held a press conference detailing the 8-point agenda.

Chaudhry said the cabinet has decided to establish a task force to bring back money which illegally stashed abroad by Pakistanis. A unit has been established at the Prime Minister House to overlook the process of bringing back money from abroad, he said.

The task force will submit a report to the prime minister and Supreme Court every two weeks, he added.

The information minister also announced a reward of Rs20 million by the government for anyone who identifies a Pakistani illegally owning property worth Rs1 billion abroad.

The names of whistle-blowers would not be disclosed, added Barrister Shahzad Akbar who flanked the information minister during the press conference.

Task force formed for educational reforms

Chauhdry said the cabinet has also decided to establish a task force to revamp the education system across the country.

He said Minister of Federal Education and Heritage Shafqat Mehmood would head the task force.

Chaudhry assured that private school fees would be reduced and provincial governments would be asked to streamline the decision.

He said that basic education would be provided in madrassahs (seminaries) and that all schools, including madrassahs, would follow the same curriculum. Provincial governments would be given a stake in formulation of the curriculum, he added.

The prime minister has also given his approval to ban corporal punishment in schools, Chaudhry added.

The information minister said that approval has been given for measures to safeguard the rights of children, to stop any incident of abuse of children, and putting an end to child labour.

Discretionary funds of ministries, divisions abolished

The information minister further announced that the cabinet gave approval to abolish discretionary funds of ministries and divisions.

Discretionary funds worth Rs80 billion have been abolished, he said and added that this money will go back to the Parliament.

PM has taken notice of the loss in national exchequer owing to the delay in completion of Tarbela Dam project

The information minister further said that the cabinet has decided to take measures to improve relations with overseas Pakistanis.

Later on, Fawad Chaudhry spoke to Geo News and said that the former prime minister’s scheme will be put an end to, including the laptop scheme.

“The Benazir Income Support programme will not be put an end to,” Fawad Chaudhry said. 

The information minister said that a list of 100 people involved in money laundering has been compiled.

He said that a big accountability committee has been formed to carry out high-level investigation on the matter.

A special cell has been formed at the PM Office for accountability, said Fawad Chaudhry.

The committee comprises officials from the National Accountability Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency, and Intelligence agencies.

The committee will reveal the names of the people involved after gathering evidence and forward cases to the NAB within three months.