ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet Wednesday approved permission to import 0.3 million metric tons of urea to the Trading Corporation of Pakistan on a government-to-government basis for Rabi crop. The federal cabinet meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave this approval on the recommendations of the Ministry of Industries and Production.
The prime minister welcomed the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Security, BISP and related authorities on the completion of the distribution of 50 billion rupees to two million families under the ongoing Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Cash Program under the Benazir Income Support Program. He directed that the complaints in the distribution phase should be resolved immediately and the cabinet should be informed in this regard. Furthermore, the prime minister said that the element of transparency in the flood relief cash program is very important, which the federal government is ensuring.
The prime minister also issued instructions to the NDMA, the PDMAs, NFRCC provincial government and related departments to immediately make a comprehensive plan and take practical steps for the release of flood water in the districts of Sindh. In this regard, the cabinet was also informed about the supply of additional water pumps by France, for which, the prime minister and the Cabinet thanked the people and the French government and the Ambassador of France in Pakistan.
ECC allows TCP to import 0.3m tons of urea on G2G basis
The foreign secretary gave a detailed briefing to the meeting on the prime minister’s visit to Samarkand and New York.
The cabinet was informed that on the occasion of the meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Samarqand, the prime minister had meetings with 10 heads of countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in addition, the presidents and heads of Central Asian countries were also included.
In the meeting with the Russian president, the two countries agreed on extensive cooperation in various fields, including energy.
Apart from this, the prime minister informed about Pakistan’s interest in buying wheat from Russia at a low cost, which was welcomed by the Russian president. Moreover, it was agreed to further mobilize the Inter-Governmental Commission between Russia and Pakistan and a Pakistan high-level delegation will visit Russia soon.
The cabinet was informed that the prime minister’s participation and address at the SCO Summit were also an important part of the visit. The forum and the bilateral meetings strongly highlighted the historic floods in Pakistan as a result of climate change and the damage it caused. On which, all the countries assured their support and cooperation. The cabinet was further informed that the cooperation task forces have been set up in the energy sector, regional connectivity, trade and investment and people-to-people links, with positive results expected soon.
The participants of the SCO agreed to increase international efforts for the inevitable and long-lasting peace in Afghanistan and to prevent terrorism in the region and solve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people for sustainable peace and development in South Asia. While informing the cabinet regarding the participation of Prime Minister Shehbaz in the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the foreign secretary said that the prime minister’s stance that the international community step up to help those with a very small share of the global carbon footprint was universally applauded.
Along with helping to convey the appeal of support and help for the flood victims of Pakistan to the whole world, in the meetings with the heads of various countries on this occasion, Pakistan was assured to contribute actively to help the flood victims.
On this occasion, in the prime minister’s meeting with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, the French president offered to organise a donors’ conference in France to help the flood victims of Pakistan, along with the promotion of bilateral relations between France and Pakistan, which is not only a welcome move to help the flood victims but will prove to be a cause of further stability in France-Pakistan relations. In the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, as a whole, Pakistan got full support from the Secretary General of the United Nations and the assurance of support and assistance for the recent floods in Pakistan as a result of climate change.
Apart from this, important progress was made in clarifying Pakistan’s position on Kashmir once again and convincing the world that a sustainable and permanent solution to the Kashmir issue is indispensable for a peaceful South Asia and the economic development of the people of the region.
Briefing the Cabinet about his visit to the UK, the prime minister said that the prime minister attended the funeral rites of the late Queen Elizabeth II and met King Charles III. In the meeting, King Charles III conveyed his condolences and sympathy to the prime minister for the flood devastation and assured full cooperation from the UK.
The federal cabinet has implemented a comprehensive plan regarding the existing and future Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT)/Treaties with Investment Provisions (TIPs) in the light of the decision taken in the Federal Cabinet on 27-07-2021 on the recommendation of the Investment Board.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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