We want Senate elections held through open balloting: PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated on Tuesday that the government desires to hold the upcoming Senate elections through open balloting.

Chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet, he said he wants an end to the practice of the use of money for vote-buying in the Senate polls.

Apart from deliberating the Senate elections, the federal cabinet took up a nine-point agenda. It approved an increase in salaries of federal government employees and called for the provincial governments to handle increment issues of their employees themselves.

Also Read: Video showing horse-trading during Senate elections surfaces

The cabinet was briefed on the national vaccination drive during the meeting. Prime Minister Khan stressed that the Covid-19 vaccine be administered without any discrimination and called for the provinces to ensure merit and transparency in the vaccination drive.

Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda complained of some bureaucrats’ behaviour saying the bureaucracy is throwing a spanner in the works of the government. Most of the bureaucrats are working properly while a few are creating hurdles, he was quoted as saying during the meeting.

Taking notice of the complaint, the prime minister decided to take measures to go to the depth of the issue.

Also Read: Indirect taxes burden the poor most: PM Imran

The cabinet approved Masroor Khan’s appointment as Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) chairman and green-lighted signing agreements with 46 independent power producers (IPPs), following which the latter will be paid Rs403 billion.

The federal cabinet also approved establishment of 30 more accountability courts in the country. The cabinet was briefed on the Airport Metro Bus project with Prime Minister Khan calling for removing obstacles to the launch of the project.

It approved a three-month extension in Afghan Transit Trade agreement and installment of cameras to monitor 80 sugar mills.