THURSDAY JULY 28: Penalties proposed for tampering with main oil, gas lines: Rs two billion Ramazan package approved by Cabinet

ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 2 billion Ramazan Package and up to 14 years' imprisonment with up to Rs 10 billion penalty for those who are found tempering with main oil and gas pipelines. The Minister for Information.
Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, told reporter at a news conference after the briefing that Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani granted ex post facto approval to the release of financial support of Rs 65 billion to Pepco.
The Minister said Secretary Ministry of Industries gave an extensive briefing to the Cabinet on Ramazan Relief Package to sell essential commodities at Utility Stores Corporation (USC) at discount during Ramazan. After receiving briefing, the Cabinet approved Rs 2 billion subsidised price package of essential food items to be distributed through the USC.
The meeting was informed that atta, ghee, dal chana, white gram, dal moong, dal mash, baisen, dates, rice basmati, rice sella, rice broken, cold drinks, squashes, tea, spices and Tetra Milkpacks would be available at discounted rate at the USC. The meeting also decided that USC would also reduce the prices of more than 800 items by 5-10 percent, narrowing their own margin. There will be a difference of Rs 17 per kg in the rate of sugar in the open market and the price at the USC. Moreover, there is a difference of Rs 125-185 in a 20 kg bag of atta between the open market and the USC.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the concerned authorities should ensure availability of food items throughout Ramazan and no complaint of shortage or deficiency of any item should come to the fore. He directed the concerned authorities to take adequate measures against hoarding of essential food items. He emphasised that hoarders should be dealt with sternly.
The Cabinet meeting also approved 14 years imprisonment and up to Rs 10 million fine for tampering with main pipeline and 10 years imprisonment and fine up to Rs 3 million for tampering with distribution pipelines. The meeting decided that six months imprisonment and up to Rs 10,000 fine would be awarded for tampering with domestic gas meters while the punishment for tampering with industrial and commercial gas meters would be three years imprisonment and fine up to Rs 1 million.
The meeting also discussed proposed amendments in the National Tariff Commission (NTC) Act 1990 for implementation of the Supreme Court judgement. The proposed amendments will allow any two of the Members of NTC to exercise powers conferred upon the Commission with regard to the cases that fall within its jurisdiction.
The Cabinet also granted approval to start negotiations for finalisation of MoU regarding collaboration in trade promotion activities between trade development authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). The proposed MoU will cover exchange of information regarding business activities, conduct market research, implementation of bilateral trade promotion activities and organising training programmes plus exchange of experts.
The Cabinet also agreed to the signing of MoU on media co-operation exchanges between Pakistan and China. The MoU envisages promotion of increased interaction in the field of media between the two countries. The Cabinet meeting also agreed to the draft bill for allowing Ministry of Interior to notify required amendments in the 12th Schedule of the Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965.
The meeting of Cabinet agreed in principle to start negotiations for modernisation and expansion of Pakistan Steel Mills and allowed Ministry of Production to engage in negotiations with their counterpart Ministry in Russian Federation for finalising details for proposed BMRE and capacity expansion of Pakistan Steel Mills.
The Cabinet discussed the issues related to equal treatment for contribution in research and development fund for fixed line and mobile operators and decided that 0.5 percent contribution will be applicable to all fixed line and mobile phone operators. The issue related to the date for implementation of the fund will be decided by the concerned committee. The Cabinet approved, in principle, to start negotiations to enter into an agreement on transfer of offenders between Pakistan and Maldives.
The Cabinet also approved in principle initiation of negotiations on the draft MoU to counter narcotics between governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Cabinet considered and accorded its approval to initiation and signing of MoU between the governments of Pakistan and Argentina. The salient features of the general purpose co-operation draft MoU are: identification of areas of mutual co-operation, work together to increase bilateral investment ties, exchange information and experiences regarding the development of policies to attract investment between the parties and exchange information and experiences regarding the legal framework that regulate investments in each of the parties. The Cabinet reviewed the implementation status of the decisions taken by the Cabinet with regard to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting along with Interior.
The Cabinet accorded approval to the decisions of ECC taken in its meeting on June 30 and July 20, 2011. The Cabinet also discussed and confirmed the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) held on the 17 June 2011.
The Cabinet discussed, and approved, the proposed amendments in the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 and Criminal Procedure Code draft bill, 2011 amending PPC and CrPC for introduction in either house of the Parliament. The proposed amendments will make the offences like tampering oil and gas pipelines, damaging and causing destruction to oil and gas pipelines and theft of oil and gas liable to punishment of imprisonment and imposition of fine.
In reply to a question about Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif's statement that federal government was at open war with the judiciary by not implementing court's verdict, the Minister said that he should apologise, first, for attacking Supreme Court during their tenure, before teaching lesson to others for respecting the judiciary.
The Minister said that Pakistan People's Party (PPP) would foil conspiracy for making the judiciary controversial because the party offered a lot of sacrifices in the campaign for independent judiciary. He said that independent judiciary was collective asset of all the political parties and the nation. The Minister reiterated that her party does not want confrontation of institutions and would continue to face the opponents in battlefield of politics.
About removal of Secretary Establishment for complying with the directives of apex court, she said that certain rules and procedures are laid down for every organisation and people have to follow them, and "law is very clear" if anybody violates or bypasses the rules. The Minister said that Dr Babar Awan is member of PPP legal team, and attended the Cabinet meeting on special invitation by Prime Minister for giving input on legal matters. She said that consultation was not meant to give signal or message to anybody but was aimed at stability and working by all the institutions within their domain.
The Minister said that all institutions have to work within the constitutional parameters and this formula applies to every institution. The Minister said that provinces are responsible to check hoarding, profiteering and for taking requisite measures to control inflation. The role of the federal government is to provide them assistance. The Minister dismissed the possibility of formation of national government because all political parties in one way or the other have been in power, and this desire could be of some political orphans.