Accountability process to continue indiscriminately, says federal cabinet

ISLAMBAD: The Federal Cabinet on Thursday decided to place all 172 people including former president Asif Zardari’s names, mentioned in the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report about fake accounts and money laundering, on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad expressed the resolve that  accountability process would continue without any discrimination to purge the country of menace of corruption.

Briefing media about the decisions taken by the cabinet meeting, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that the cabinet took this important initiative as some personalities involved in the fake accounts and money laundering cases including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari were found saying that they were not taking the JIT report seriously.

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The minister said that the cabinet had validated the government decision to hold provincial assembly elections in tribal districts in June 2019 to bring the tribal people in mainstream and  providing them all their constitutional rights promised by Prime Minister Imran Khan soon after coming to power.

Fawad Chaudhry said that cabinet also reviewed the overall law and order situation in Karachi especially in the context of latest target killing incidents.

He said the cabinet reaffirmed its commitment to ensure peace in Karachi at all costs being economic hub of the country.

The information minister said the cabinet had decided to take up the issue of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder’s hate speech with the British government who was inciting for killing of people using social media and creating law and order in Karachi.

He said that it had also been decided to contact the South African authorities to prevent use of their soil against Pakistan by Altaf Hussain’s target killers.

The minister said that the cabinet lauded performance of the Federal Investigation Agency in unearthing money laundering of billions of rupees.

He said millions of rupees were spent on installation of close circuit TV cameras in Islamabad and Karachi under safe city projects, but majority of these cameras are either dysfunctional or not able to provide legible pictures.

He said the cabinet also ordered inquiry into these projects to fix responsibility of failure.

Fawad Chaudhry said imported mobile phones can be got registered till 15th of January with the payment of ten percent customs duty.

He said the purpose behind this decision was to encourage local mobile industry and discourage of undue imports of mobile sets.

He said that cabinet also approved extending mobile phone services in North Waziristan district and to review to provide the same in Makran area of Balochistan.

He said Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Mobilink have signed an agreement to provide mobile services in North Waziristan district.

The Minister said that the cabinet approved bringing a Constitution Amendment Bill to have one reserved seat for women each in the Senate and the National Assembly from the Federal Capital Territory.

He said a task force under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan would be constituted to modernize research in Pakistan. He said eminent scientist Dr Atta-ur-Rehman will head this task force.

The minister said in the first phase the proposed university at the Prime Minister House, will be given the name of Dar-ul-Hikma, while in the second phase, it will be transformed into a full-fledged university.

Replying to a question, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that regulatory duty on news print has been reduced from five percent to just one percent. He expressed the hope that it will benefit working journalists as well.