Trial of PTI bigwigs under Article 6: Cabinet approves formation of body to make recommendations

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet Friday approved the constitution of a special committee which will make recommendations on the implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the suo motu case, whether treason proceedings under Article 6 should be initiated against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s top leadership.

This was stated by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb during a post-cabinet meeting briefing.

The cabinet, which met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair, welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgment in the suo motu case pertaining to the ruling by former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Khan Suri on the no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan.

The minister said the cabinet also welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision that rules out any foreign conspiracy for “regime change” in Pakistan.

The information minister said that a special committee to be headed by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar will include the interior minister, information minister and representation of all the coalition partners which will present its suggestions in the next federal cabinet meeting.

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“The judgement has proven that the previous government passed unconstitutional orders,” she said, asserting that now was the time to decide whether “the murder of Pakistan’s constitution, democracy, and laws” was acceptable. She said that a resolution was passed in the cabinet meeting to stop attacks on the parliament, constitution, and democracy forever.

She said the cabinet also approved to constitute an independent and transparent Inquiry Commission under the Commission of Inquires Act, 2017 to probe the complaints of Tayyaba Gul regarding her alleged abduction and harassment by the then Prime Minister’s Office. She said Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has been asked to finalize the Terms of Reference of the Inquiry Commission.

She further said the commission’s inquiry will be time-bound to make it result-oriented.

The minister further said that Tayyaba Gul had claimed that she was held captive at the Prime Minister’s Office for 18 days during Imran’s tenure. “She had filed a harassment complaint at the PM’s portal after which she was called to the PM’s Office and illegally held captive,” the minister said. Later, all the evidence and videos collected in the case were used against the NAB chief, she alleged.

“Imran Khan blackmailed Javed Iqbal and compromised an institution for political means,” claimed the information minister, adding that therefore, it was decided to form an inquiry commission.

The minister further said that the cabinet reiterated to complete the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme for the development and economic self-reliance of the country. She blamed the previous government for suspending the IMF programme and putting the country’s credibility at stake.

Blaming the country’s economic woes on the previous PTI government, the minister said that an agreement had been reached with the IMF after negotiations and particularly the efforts of Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, adding that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and their respective teams were praiseworthy. She said the meeting validated the decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) that met on July 5.

The cabinet approved the import of three million tons of wheat after global wheat prices plunged and advantages to be taken. She added that the government would provide low-cost wheat to the public and would monitor the wheat import to ensure transparency.

Further, the cabinet approved the permission to import luxury items lying on ports by paying additional duty of five percent and 15 percent as per their arrival at ports after the ban on the import of luxury items.

She said shipments received within two weeks after the import ban was enforced will be cleared with a payment of five percent duty while containers that reached the ports after two weeks following the import ban would be cleared at 15 percent.

The minister said the cabinet approved an amnesty on overstay for foreign citizens till 31st December this year. She said an awareness campaign will also be launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting regarding this amnesty.

Further, an ordinance related to government-to-government commercial transactions was also approved, the minister said.

Talking about a reduction in petrol prices, the minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif passed on the benefit of a decline in international oil prices to the public because it stood with the government during the difficult time. She added that transport associations had been directed by the government to transfer the benefits of a decline in domestic oil prices to consumers.

“Transport fares are being monitored and we have issued guidelines to transporters to provide relief to the public,” she said.

The minister said that the prime minister directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and provincial authorities to remain vigilant and immediately disburse the relief package among the deceased people after completing the survey.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022