ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet, Friday, approved a support package of five million rupees per family to provide legal and financial assistance to the heirs of missing persons.
This announcement was made by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, who briefed the media about the decisions taken during the meeting.
He said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet, where several key decisions were made.
During the press conference, the law minister explained that this package was announced in light of the recommendations from previous committees on the issue of missing persons.
The cabinet reviewed the final report of these committees and approved the formation of a special committee to examine genuine cases of families in need of support.
Tarar emphasised that the compensation amount is non-reclaimable even if a missing person is reunited with their family. He also mentioned that steps will be taken to address related issues, including instructions to NADRA regarding the bank accounts and inheritance matters of the families involved.
Furthermore, the law minister highlighted that 1,000 out of over 2,000 identified cases will be prioritised and addressed on a first-come, first-served basis, beyond a five-year limit. He also pointed out that while intelligence agencies are often blamed, the final report clarified that these agencies extended positive cooperation and also sought a legal resolution to the issue of missing persons.
In addition to this, the cabinet approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Trade Promotion Cooperation between Pakistan and China. This MoU aims to enhance trade between the two countries, particularly, in sectors such as smartphones manufacturing, new energy automobiles, textiles, agricultural processing, pharmaceuticals, and information technology. This agreement follows the prime minister’s recent visit to China and is expected to bolster economic ties between the two nations.
The cabinet also approved legislation for the charter of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad, as recommended by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. Additionally, the cabinet gave approval for the establishment of the King Hamad University of Nursing & Associated Medical Sciences in Pakistan, a project supported by Bahrain, which will provide modern education and training.
The federal cabinet was also presented with a report by the inter-ministerial committee on missing persons, which highlighted the challenges faced by Pakistan due to terrorism following the Afghan war.
The cabinet ratified the committee’s recommendations and approved the compensation package for the families of missing persons. Furthermore, the cabinet ratified the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises on July 22, 2024.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024