Cabinet to approve Ogra chief’s appointment on Tuesday

Sharif APC speech likely to echo during meeting

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Cabinet will take up a 14-point agenda, including the appointment of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) chief, when it meets on Tuesday (today).

The cabinet meeting, which will be presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan, comes just two days after a hard-hitting speech delivered by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif during the much-hyped opposition’s all parties conference via video link from London. His allegations that there was “a state above the state in the country” would likely to echo in the meeting.

Besides reviewing the economic situation, the cabinet would also approve the appointment of the Ogra chief. A committee formed by Premier Imran has shortlisted five candidates, majority of whom are from Ogra, for appointment as the chairman.

The committee has completed interviews and finalised five names for the position. Earlier, as many as 26 candidates were shortlisted for the position.

The committee was reconstituted over objections against its earlier nominations. Committee Chairman Shahzad Akbar removed two members and brought in professionals to conduct interviews for the post of the Ogra chairman.

The Federal Cabinet will also approve retail prices of various medicines.

A briefing on the automation of the federal cabinet proceedings is also on the agenda.

According to the agenda of the cabinet meeting, a reduction in the cost of injections administered to coronavirus patients will be approved.

Approval of amendments to the Islamabad Master Plan, which include construction of a model jail, is also on the cabinet agenda.

It will also allow the classification of cantonments area and the constitution of cantonment boards and approve the appointment of the chairperson of the Islamabad Environmental Tribunal.

The cabinet will approve the rules and regulations for the hiring of the acting chairman of the Pakistan Island Development Authority and also the appointment of OGRA member oil.