The Cabi-net on Wednesday approved an increase in the age limit from three to five years for imported cars. It also directed the Finance Minister to settle the matter of salary payment to the employees of devolved ministries. Briefing media about the Cabinet decision, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said the Cabinet allowed import of five years old used vehicles in view of high prices of local cars.
The minister said the Prime Minister also directed the finance minister to settle the issue of salary payment to the employees of devolved ministries. In reply to a question about cut in Cabinet size, he said a decision to this effect would be taken by the Prime Minister in consultation with the President as the issue was not supposed to be discussed in the Cabinet meeting.
The minister said the Cabinet also reviewed the implementation status of the ministries being devolved or to be devolved to the provinces after the approval of 18th Amendment. Kaira said the issue of international protocol attached with the devolving ministries is being thoroughly looked into by the Parliamentary Committee headed by Senator Raza Rabbani.
In reply to questions, he said the government if necessary may consider reduction in the size of bureaucracy but dispelled the impression that it would impose restriction on new recruitment due to economic challenges. The minister said the country is facing challenges on economic front but the impression that the country may face economic collapse was not true. Kaira said the government appreciates the action taken by the Supreme Court in the rental power plant case. He said Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh briefed the Cabinet about the ongoing consultation process with the political parties on economic reforms agenda. The minister hoped that a consensus document would be developed as a result of the consultation process to steer the country out of prevailing economic mess.
Kaira said prices of petroleum products would be determined or adjusted in light of the recommendations of the parliamentary committee. The Prime Minister wants that the governments as well as civil society express complete solidarity with the people of Kashmir by observing February 5 as solidarity day.