Federal cabinet okays proposal for enhancing Gwadar port's efficiency

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet greenlighted a proposal to direct all government departments to use Gwadar Port for importing their 50 percent  goods such as wheat, sugar, and fertilizer, ARY News reported.

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet and considered the proposal of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.

The cabinet also passed directives to increase the volume of exports from Gwadar Port in the future. It was decided to form a subcommittee of the cabinet which will be tasked to submit a quarterly report on imports and exports through Gwadar Port to the cabinet.

Meanwhile, the cabinet on the recommendation of the Ministry of Communications, approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the issuance of a commemorative postal stamp to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Ministry of Industries and Production presented a report from the Cabinet Committee on Sugar Exports. The cabinet expressed satisfaction that, due to a well-timed decision on sugar exports, the country not only earned valuable foreign exchange, but sugar prices remained stable, and sugarcane farmers were adequately rewarded for their efforts.

The cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, also approved the reconstitution of the Board of Directors of the Korangi Fish Harbour Authority, Karachi.

The cabinet instructed that all provinces should be given representation on such government boards. Additionally, the cabinet directed that any government-owned corporations with incomplete boards should be fully constituted as soon as possible.

On the recommendation of the Ministry of National Health Services, the cabinet approved the appointment of Muhammad Yaqoob, Assistant Director of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, as the Federal Inspector Drug Balochistan.

Likewise, on the recommendation of the Planning Ministry, the federal cabinet approved an amendment to the Cabinet resolution dated October 30, 2013, regarding the appointment of Planning Commission members from the open market.

Under this amendment, the salaries of Planning Commission members will now be set under the Special Professional Pay Scale-II (SPPS-II) instead of the Management Pay Scale.

Furthermore, the cabinet also approved setting the salary of the Chief Economist of the Planning Commission, to be appointed from the open market, under the Special Professional Pay Scale-I (SPPS-I).

The cabinet, based on the recommendations of the Revenue Division and according to the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s orders, approved the Federal Public Service Commission to conduct departmental promotion exams for the posts of Inspector Inland Revenue (BPS-16).

The cabinet endorsed the decisions made in the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting held on August 29, 2024.

The cabinet also ratified the decisions taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises held on September 2, 2024.