Cabinet okays appointment of Tariq Malik as Nadra chairman, procurement of 500 EVMs

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday gave a go-ahead to the appointment of Tariq Malik as National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) chairman.

Briefing the media on decisions taken by the federal cabinet in today’s meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the cabinet approved the Ministry of Interior’s summary regarding the appointment.

He said that the meeting endorsed the cabinet committee on privatization’s May 21 decisions and approved a Corona relief package for Tajikistan to help it fight the pandemic. Besides, he added the cabinet also approved recording national anthem afresh in modern vogue.

The minister said the government wants to give overseas Pakistanis the right to franchise and expressed concern over the PML-N’s opposition to the proposal. We are waiting for PPP’s response in this regard to finalise the legislative procedure, he added.

He said the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) conditions vis-à-vis the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been fulfilled. We are going to place an order for procurement of 500 EVMs for their trials in the elections of bar councils and press clubs, Fawad announced.

He said there is no question of allowing the US to use Pakistan’s airbases after the American troops‘ drawdown from Afghanistan. All of Pakistan’s airbases are in the country’s use, he added. He cleared that no talks with Washington on the use of Pakistan’s airbases by the latter are underway.

Fawad said that the railways system needs to be fixed but it cannot be done in two or two and a half years’ time.

He said the incident of Canada vindicates Prime Minister Imran Khan’s reservations regarding rising trends of Islamophobia in the West. Condemning the incident, the cabinet stressed on western countries to take immediate steps to root out the major cause of Islamophobia.