Government duty-bound to bring back Nawaz: PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: Reiterating his resolve to not tolerate any blackmailing, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday it is up to the government to bring back former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to the country.

Chairing a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad, he said the PML-N supreme leader should be repatriated without delay and issued directives for the authorities concerned to review legal aspects of the matter.

Sources relayed the meeting took stock of the country’s overall political and economic situation, Nawaz Sharif’s extradition as well as PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz’s recent political activities.

Speaking during the meeting, Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda opined that Maryam should have been arrested after a violent clash between the PML-N and police outside the NAB Lahore office. He demanded that she should not be let flee abroad come what may.

Some of the cabinet members raised the issue of a rumpus in yesterday’s National Assembly session deploring former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s remarks. Vawda said they have not received votes to listen to abuses of people like Abbasi.

Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar suggested revoking assembly membership of lawmakers found using foul language in the house.

Besides, the cabinet discussed and approved an 11-point agenda and sought a report on appointments to various government posts without its approval. It also endorsed appointment of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) chairman.

The federal cabinet also gave a go-ahead to exclusion of 61 food and non-food items from mandatory certification list and endorsed decisions made by its Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and legislative committee.

It also approved relaxing PPRA rules on public-private partnerships.