Trump’s remarks a ‘diplomatic win’ for Pakistan: PM Imran

Premier says New Delhi’s nefarious designs against Islamabad thwarted

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday described US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts during his trip to India as a diplomatic win for Islamabad.

During a meeting of the federal cabinet, the premier observed that New Delhi’s nefarious designs against Islamabad had been thwarted and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to sell his anti-Pakistan narrative to the US president.

Briefing the media about meeting, PM’s aide on information Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet had approved the ‘National Education Plan 2020’ aimed at introducing a uniform curriculum across the country and mainstreaming madrassas.

The plan includes a framework for enrolling out-of-school children and educating illiterate adults. The cabinet was informed that there were 22 million out-of-school children in the country and the literacy rate stood at 62%.

The new curriculum for up to grade 5 has been prepared and sent to the National Curriculum Council for approval. The curriculum for grade six to eight will be ready by March 2021.

The special assistant said the premier had again instructed the authorities concerned to maintain the freeze on the electricity tariff.



The cabinet was informed that around 53,388 FIRs had been filed for electricity theft. Proposals to slash power rates and freezing the tariff for the next 18 months are also being considered.

The cabinet was given a briefing on participation of members of parliament in the government’s ‘Ehsaas Program’. Dr Sania Nishtar told the cabinet that Ehsaas Program had five different schemes under its umbrella of which three -- Protection, Nutrition and Digital Pakistan – would be launched soon. A web application has been developed to ensure participation of parliamentarians through which they would be provided details of every event under the Ehsaas Program.

Around 170,000 youths will be imparted technical and skill-based education under the Hunarmand Pakistan Programme. A scholarship programme will be formulated to benefit 50,000 students.

The cabinet approved the appointment of Abdul Rehman Qureshi and Rahat Konain Hasan as members of the Audit Oversight Board.

It also approved the appointment of board members of the Exim Bank of Pakistan.

Sanctions on the construction of high-rise buildings near Benezir Bhutto International Airport were also approved. The cabinet also gave the nod to decisions made during the Economic Coordination Committee’s February 19 meeting as well as a bill aimed at protecting journalists and other media personnel.

The cabinet also allowed a three-month extension in the service of Syed Muhammad Mehr Ali Shah as the Indus water commissioner. It approved weapon licences for Wapda security force officials deployed at the site of Diamer-Bhasha dam and the appointment of Sikandar Khan as the judge of special court for the control of narcotic substances in Islamabad.