Federal Cabinet approves new counter terrorism bill

The cabinet also approved amendments in election laws, approved formation of new medical university in Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet has approved amendments in Election Laws in lieu of the 18th constitutional amendment on Wednesday and approved the formation of a new counter-terrorism authority, reported Radio Pakistan.

Pakistan is scheduled to hold general elections in the first half of next year.

The process would mark the first time that a democratically elected civilian government completes a full term in office and is replaced by another elected administration.

NCTA Bill approved

"The cabinet today approved the National Counter-Terrorism Authority Bill the need for which has been felt for a long time," Kaira told reporters.

To come into effect the bill needs to be approved by parliament and signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardari.

Kaira said the new authority would "devise policies and improve coordination among provincial governments and intelligence agencies" as well as "research and devise long-term policies to defeat" the terrorist mindset.

"The authority may suggest changes in curriculum, drama and films and it can also suggest introducing modern education in madrassas," Kaira said.

Previous attempts to reform religious seminaries, considered nurseries for recruits to the Taliban and other extremist organisations, have born little fruit.

New medical universtity in Islamabad

The cabinet also decided to establish a medical university at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Islamabad.

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, speaking to the media, said that the medical university would be named after Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and would be a federal chartered university imparting post-graduate medical education.

The cabinet also decided to give autonomous status to the Climate Change Impact Study Centre, which will also have a representation of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.