Cabinet orders action against Kasur culprits

Silently approves appointment of Majeed Dasti as Sindh’s new police chief

ISLAMABAD: Feeling the heat of public outrage over the brutal rape and killing of a child in Kasur, the federal cabinet on Wednesday directed strict action against the ‘perpetrators of the heinous act”.

“[The cabinet] strongly condemned barbaric incident of Kasur and directed that strict action should be taken against the perpetrators of the heinous act,” said a statement, issued after the meeting that was held in the PM office.

Official sources said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who chaired the moot, assigned Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed to oversee the progress in Kasur child murder case.



He was also directed to brief Abbasi on a regular basis about the investigation till the culprits are nabbed. Reportedly, the chief secretary would brief the PM in this regard today [Thursday].

The cabinet also silently approved appointment of Abdul Majeed Dasti as new inspector general police (IGP) for Sindh. Dasti will fill shoes of the incumbent IGP, Allah Dino Khawaja. However, it deferred the plan to grant extension to Afghan refugees’ stay in Pakistan till June 30, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Sources said the cabinet approved Dasti’s appointment even before the formal start of the meetings’ proceedings. The cabinet members granted the related approval prior to the start of the formal meeting in a bid to avoid the media’s attention.



That was the reason the appointment of IGP Sindh was not part of the approved agenda items issued after the cabinet meeting, a senior government official said.

Officials said three names – Dasti, Arif Nawaz and Khaliq Dad Lak – were proposed to replace Khawaja, whom the Sindh government had been trying to remove for a long time but his removal was stayed by the Sindh High Court.

Dasti was promoted to basic pay scale (BPS) 22 last year while Nawaz and Lak are also BPS 22 officers.

The reports of Khawaja’s removal give credence to reports that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz  (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) reached an underhand deal last month that involved the PPP’s support to legislation on constituencies’ delimitation in return for fulfillment of ‘certain demands’.



Following the reported deal, the constituencies’ delimitation bill was passed by the Senate in December, some political circles believe. The bill was already passed by National Assembly in November.

Sources said that federal cabinet was set to grant extension in Afghan refugees’ stay in Pakistan till June 30 but deferred the plan following serious opposition from security establishment.

Reports have surfaced that the security brass has termed Afghan refugees ‘a threat to national security’ and has strongly opposed granting them extension.

Following expiry of the previous extension that was valid till December 31, the cabinet accorded one-month extension till January 31 to allow registered Afghan refugees’ stay in Pakistan. In case their stay is not further extended, Pakistan will have the right to repatriate these refugees after January 31.



Other decisions

According to the PM Office, the federal cabinet also accorded approval to amendment in Capital Development Authority Ordinance 1960; signing of a draft memorandum of understanding between the Department of Archaeology and Museums Rietberg, Zurich, Switzerland and placing of annual report of the National Economic Council (NEC) for year 2016-17 before both houses of parliament.

It ratified the protocol between Pakistan and Turkey regarding exchange of armed forces personnel and the decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet.

The cabinet also approved appointment of member of the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) submitted by Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and appointment of chief executive officer/managing director of the Inter State Gas System Company Limited (ISGSL).

Ministry of Energy (Power Division) gave a presentation to the cabinet on power system constraints for summer 2018 and the requirements for upgrading of transmission and distribution system in the country, the PM Office statement said.

Discussing transfer of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee and cotton related matters from Ministry of Textile Industry to Ministry of National Food Security, the cabinet constituted a committee headed by Adviser to PM Sartaj Aziz to assess cotton production pattern in the country and submit its recommendation within two weeks for making an informed decision.