PM orders review of NAP

Summons meeting of Nacta; cabinet directs fool-proof security to Chinese nationals

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Interior Ministry on Wednesday to review the National Action Plan (NAP) in collaboration with all the provinces and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) to devise a comprehensive plan to curb terrorism.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Prime Minister Shehbaz wanted to strengthen efforts to curb terrorism in the country, therefore, he desired a review of NAP. For that purpose, she added, the prime minister had also directed for summoning a meeting of Nacta immediately.

“[Former prime minister] Nawaz Sharif restored peace in the country and the incumbent government will further strengthen it,” Aurangzeb told reporters, while briefing the media about the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz.

At the onset of the meeting, the cabinet condemned the suicide blast in Karachi and decided to review overall security situation in the country. It directed fool-proof security of the Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. The ministers assured the Chinese embassy of thorough investigations into the blast.

Aurangzeb said that the cabinet also directed for a review of the Civil Servants (Directory Retirement from Service) Rules. “The aim of the PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] government was to target officers,” the minister said.

“The cabinet has decided to review all such laws, which have been framed for peculiar purposes. A committee, comprising federal ministers Azam Nazir Tarrar, Sherry Rehman and Saad Rafique, is constituted to review the service rules, and present a report in two weeks,” she added.

During the meeting, officials from the Power Division and the Petroleum Division briefed the ministers about the latest situation of electricity and diesel in the country. The ministers were informed that 27 power plants were closed, when the incumbent government took office.

Within two weeks, the officials told the cabinet, the situation improved much as only seven power units remained closed now. They further said that repair of the power plants was continuing and added that load-shedding would end by the next month.

The minister blamed the last PTI government for increase in load-shedding durations and frequent power outages. “As the closed power units were being repaired, the load-shedding would be eliminated by next month, Aurangzeb told reporters.

The federal cabinet also approved appointment of Asim Ahmed as the chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), while it directed the Employees Old-Age Institution (EOBI) Chairman Shakrain Mangrio to report to the Establishment Division, according to the minister.

“Imran Khan was imposed on the country after the 2018 elections. The country today is facing problems because of his incompetence,” the minister said. “He [Imran Khan] made lives of the people miserable by increasing prices of essential items,” she remarked.

Aurangzeb said that the former prime minister had been harping on the tune of so-called “conspiracy letter” in order to cover up his “nil performance” in his four-year rule but added that the “people of Pakistan will pay no heed to him, rather oust him from politics forever”.

She said that Imran had been waving the conspiracy paper because he had nothing to his credit on account of government’s performance. “Imran Khan has been telling lies persistently. He still considers himself in government,” she added.

“For negative economic growth rate, Imran should have tendered his resignation, but “the politics of Imran Khan will not last long as the coalition government has already started performing excellently, with the prices coming down,” she said.

Imran, she continued, was perturbed over the popularity of Prime Minister Shehbaz, who would make the lives of the people easy through his commitment to the service of the nation. The Metro Bus project from Peshawar Mor to the new Islamabad Airport remained dysfunctional for the last four years, but it was activated by Prime Minister Shehbaz within four days of taking oath of office, she added.

She accused former prime minister Imran Khan of selling Kashmir, increasing prices of sugar, electricity and gas and shortage of electricity in the country during his tenure. “The last government inducted its workers in various departments but law will take its due course against the looters and plunderers.”

She said Imran also victimised journalists and made them jobless. However, she stressed that the coalition government believed in freedom of expression and would work for the welfare of journalists community.

The minister emphasised that instead of threatening the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Imran should better answer the public questions about the shortage of power and increase in sugar, flour and other items’ prices. “Imran Khan has failed to explain anomalies in his party’s foreign funding,” she said.

She said that Imran Khan had framed cases against the leading politicians but not a single one had been proved in any court of law, so far. He would have to answer for his failure in recovering the stolen money despite the best efforts of his so-called Asset Recovery Unit headed by Shahzad Akbar.