ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Tuesday said Prime Minister Imran Khan, as the voice of the nation, would advocate the Kashmiris' cause at the United Nations General Assembly while activities would be held across Pakistan every Friday to highlight the Kashmir issue.
Addressing a press conference to brief about the federal cabinet decisions, she said the prime minister took the cabinet into confidence about the steps taken by the government on the Kashmir issue.
The prime minister told the cabinet about the efforts to highlight the Kashmir issue at international forums and the government’s strategy for future, she added.
The cabinet endorsed the prime minister's decision to observe every Friday as Kashmir Solidarity Day and his efforts to turn the Kashmir issue into a movement.
Dr Firdous said a focal group had been established and during its meeting opposition members Mushahid Hussain Sayed of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Naveed Qamar of the Pakistan Peoples Party supported the government's priorities on Kashmir.
She said Prime Minister Imran Khan had become a voice for the Kashmiris as he had turned the Kashmir issue into a movement.
Protests on the streets of Pakistan would be a message to the world that it would have to do more to resolve the Kashmir issue, she added.
She said the cabinet discussed different options to give momentum to the Kashmir freedom movement by arranging activities on every Friday.
School and college students, labourers, farmers, and employees of government departments, hospitals and other institutions would show their solidarity to the Kashmiris' cause sending an effective message to the world about the issue, she added.
She said Prime Minister Imran Khan had categorically stated that the people, the government and the leadership of Pakistan would stand with the Kashmiri people till they achieved their rights.
The cabinet discussed various initiatives of the ministries.
The special assistant said the prime minister was told that as people were facing hassles at the Foreign Office, so a token system had been introduced to facilitate them on problems related to issuance of visas and jobs abroad.
The Aviation Ministry told the cabinet that the Pakistan Meteorological Department was devising a plan to give timely information about the weather to farmers in agricultural areas.
The cabinet was informed that seats for the disabled would be reserved on the intercity transport. It was further informed that fee was waived for those who would remit money from foreign countries through Post Office.
The special assistant said a fund of $ 1.5 billion of Japanese agency JICA would be used for improving the sanitation and water supply systems.
The Economic Affairs Ministry told the cabinet that seed money of Rs 80 billion would be used for providing affordable housing to low income people.
The prime minister directed that timely completion of the projects and capacity building of human resource should be ensured.
The Human Rights Ministry informed the cabinet about the laws passed for stopping child abuse and for protection of rights of transgender community which would be empowered and given job opportunities.
It said the government would pay fines of those prisoners, who were in prisons beyond their sentence terms as they did not have the money.
A strategy was formulated for reorientation of prisoners so that they could become productive citizens of the country.
The cabinet expressed reservation over increase in child abuse and child pornography, and asked the relevant ministry to take measures for curbing the incidents of child abuse.
The prime minister agreed with the suggestion that a centre should be established in Islamabad for the rehabilitation of victims of drug abuse.
The Minister for Information Technology informed the cabinet about the steps for export of Pakistani IT manpower and setting of priorities for capacity building of youth in areas of Internet and broadband services.
The Law Minister apprised the cabinet about online “Imran Khan Legal Aid” project for the poor and vulnerable sections so that they could get free legal assistance.
The Religious Affairs Minister told the cabinet about the facilities that were provided to the Hajj pilgrims.
Some 700,000 pilgrims visited Iran and Iraq, and more destinations would be added so that more people could go there.
Gurdwaras and temples would be restored and opened for public. A gurdwara was opened in Peshawar after its restoration.
The Minister for Railways told the cabinet that 50 percent discount in fare would be given to 65-year old passengers and four free tickets every year to those above 75 years of age.
The Pakistan Railways managed to save 3.7 million liters of fuel, while additional trains were put in operation to facilitate passengers.
Disabled persons would be facilitated in train travel.
Dr Firdous told the newsmen that laws were introduced to facilitate export of original products of Pakistan.
The cabinet was told that heads of 30 institutions were appointed. One window operation was started at Protectorate of Emigrant Offices.
Home-based workers would be registered so that they could get pension through Employees Old Age Benefit Institution (EOBI).
A databank would be established to collect details about family members of overseas Pakistanis.
Quota of disabled students would be raised to four percent for seats in the colleges for overseas Pakistanis.
The cabinet was told that now gas customers would be given 15 days to pay their bills.
It was also informed that the processing time for application for Prime Minister Kamyab Jawan Youth internship programme would be 30 days and Rs 100 would be charged as fee.
The cabinet also approved names of four community attaches and stringent laws were approved for electricity theft.
A report on privatization was presented to the cabinet. Amir Mumtaz was approved as director and chairman of board of Pakistan Steel Mills.
The prime minister would seek report from ministries in provinces about their initiatives for public welfare.
To a question regarding rumours about Special Assistant of the Prime Minister Nadeem Afzal Chan, Dr Firdous said his presence in the cabinet meeting was the proof that he was performing his duties and the rumours were misleading.
To another question, she said China fully supported Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir and the meeting of vice chairman of Chinese Central Military Commission with the prime minister was an important development.
She said the prime minister had taken right steps on the Kashmir issue and their positive results would come in due course of time.
Replying to a question, she said upgrading of railway track and improvement of the Pakistan Railways was top most priority of the government.
Despite limited resources, the Railways’ performance was more than satisfactory, she added.
She said during her tenure as special assistant, the retired PTV employees were twice paid to Rs 1.5 billion and Rs 8.5 million respectively.
To a question about the Islamabad Expressway and Peshawar More-New Airport Metro Bus Service, she said she would try that the cabinet should be given a briefing on the very important projects, which were gateways to Islamabad.
She said the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Punjab Health Department, was launching an advocacy and awareness campaign on the dengue fever.
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