Key regulatory bodies placed under cabinet control

The federal cabinet on Thursday placed key regulatory authorities under the administrative control of the federal cabinet and also decided that the government will not provide healthcare facilities to its functionaries from tax payers' money. It allowed the Pakistani dual nationals to contest election in Pakistan, and constituted a committee to finalise the conditions including amendment in the relevant laws.
The cabinet decided that it is in the vital interest of the country that overseas Pakistanis may participate in the national politics. The federal cabinet in its meeting was apprised of the expenses incurred on the foreign visits of ex-prime ministers Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and ex-president Mamnoon Hussain.
The cabinet was told that during four and a half years of Gilani's premiership, his foreign visits were 48 worth Rs 571.6 million which included Rs 10.5 million as tip alone. The cabinet was further told that former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf spent Rs 107 million on his nine foreign visits whereas Mamnoon Hussain spent Rs 278.2 million on 31 foreign trips.
The cabinet was told that in last 10 years, the government functionaries went through 33 foreign visits expanding over 794 days in which over nine thousands people went abroad, which cost about Rs 4.5 billion. Subsequently the cabinet decided to recover that amount from the ex-rulers and also decided that from now onwards the government functionaries will bear medical expenses by themselves in abroad and also the government will not pay for their personal visits.
The cabinet was briefed that from 2012 to 2018 as many as 50 flights were used for private purposes by the government officials which cost Rs 5.5 million to national flag carrier. The PM issued directions to monitor the wheat flour prices and to make sure its price doesn't increase.
The cabinet annulled the profession column from the passport documents. The cabinet also decided that the regularity bodies like Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), NEPRA, PPRA and Frequency Allocation Boards be placed under the Cabinet Division till further orders, in order to streamline their work affairs so that these bodies can work independently. Federal Cabinet has paid tribute to Prime Minister for his successful visit to the United States. The cabinet meeting was held here on Thursday with Prime Minister Imran Khan in chair. The Prime Minister took the cabinet into confidence about his visit to the United States.