Federal cabinet approves prisoner exchange agreement with UK

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet approved on Thursday an agreement pertaining to the exchange of prisoners with the United Kingdom.

The prime minister was heading a session of the federal cabinet today, in which several issues were discussed. The PM also took the cabinet into confidence over the decisions taken by the National Security Committee.

The cabinet approved a 21-point agenda, and reviewed the implementation of decisions taken during cabinet meetings in the past.

In October, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar had met British Home Secretary Sajid Javid in London to discuss issues related to the provision of mutual legal assistance, extradition requests, prisoner transfer agreement and steps to curb money laundering as well as recovery of assets acquired through illegal means.

The federal cabinet also gave the green signal to a two-way agreement to promote diplomatic relations with Nigeria.

The federal cabinet also gave a go-ahead to the appointment of a chairman at the Trading Corporation of Pakistan, and sanctioned the issuance of a charter license to new airline Liberty Air Ltd.

While approving the interior ministry’s appeal to take suspicious persons into custody, the cabinet gave approval for protective custody of Rasool Khan, Waseem Akhtar, Abbas Hafeez, Mohammad Mushtaq and Sajjad Ali Mohra.

PM takes cabinet into confidence on China visit

Prime Minister Imran Khan also took the federal cabinet into confidence regarding his maiden official visit to China.

He briefed the members about his visit to China and the agreements and memorandum of understandings signed between the two countries, sources said.

The PM said that the visit to China and Saudi Arabia both were successful and quite conducive for dealing with balance-of-payment crisis.

In the meeting, Finance Minister Asad Umar gave a briefing on the agreements signed with China.

PM Imran also approved a summary empowering the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to issue a tax directory. The bureau will publish a separate tax directory for members of the parliament.

The cabinet approved a Pakistan-Sri Lanka coastguard agreement, and also endorsed the decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee.

The meeting also reviewed the law and order situation in the country. Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi briefed the cabinet on the losses incurred during the three-day long countrywide protests in the wake of the Supreme Court's acquittal of Asia Bibi. 

PM bans medical treatment of ministers, officials abroad on govt expense

Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered a ban on medical treatment of federal ministers abroad on the government’s expense.

In the meeting it was discussed that the ban on treatment abroad on national exchequer will also be applied to senior officials, advisers, and federal secretaries.

Following the orders by the prime minister, a notification has been issued in this regard.

“Cabinet took 120 decisions, 72 were implemented”

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry spoke to media where he highlighted the matters discussed in the federal cabinet session today.

Chaudhry said that the cabinet had taken 120 decisions, out of which 72 were implemented.

He further said that only four decisions remained undecided despite passing of 72 days.

The federal minister said that for the purpose of implementation on decisions, the cabinet had given orders to relevant departments for immediate action.

Chaudhry said that a new board for Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has been formed.