The federal cabinet has deferred its decision on removal of names of 20 individuals from Exit Control List (ECL), recommended by the Interior Ministry. While addressing a press conference along with Minister for Planning and Statistics Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar following a federal cabinet meeting here on Thursday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry confirmed that the federal cabinet has rejected the recommendations of the Interior Ministry to remove the names of Chairman Pakistan People's Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah from the ECL.
The information minister said that Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leaders including Asif Ali Zardari, Murad Ali Shah and Faryal Talpur are facing serious allegations against them in relation to the money laundering case. "These people used to transfer billions of dollars abroad through Benami accounts," he said.
According to sources, the cabinet members agreed to wait for a written order from the apex court before making any decision on whether to allow or bar the suspects from flying abroad. The matter will be discussed again during the next cabinet meeting, the sources added.
Chaudhry further said that on the recommendations of the Prime Minister, a cabinet committee has been formed to review 172 names while looking at the role of each person, following which it will present its recommendations to the cabinet. The committee includes Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Dr Farogh Naseem, Minister of State for Interior Shahryar Afridi, Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Accountability Shahzad Akbar and Interior Secretary Azam Suleman Khan.
The minister said that once the written orders of the Supreme Court are issued, the cabinet will also seek the committee's guidance regarding whether or not a review appeal of the court order should be submitted. Fawad said the cabinet noted with satisfaction that the country's exports increased by 4.5 percent during the month of December, imports reduced which curtailed the trade deficit by up to $ 450 million and had a positive impact on the economy. He said the efforts of the Prime Minister and his economic team had an impact on the current account deficit and the friendly countries also lent support to the government. The loans of banks to private sector rose by Rs 504 billion and loans to deposits ratio also grew, he added. According to the information minister, the import deficit had decreased by $540 million in just one month.
"The Prime Minister has also ordered the Law Ministry to compile a 'negative category list' in the next 48 hours as per directions of the apex court," he said, adding that the list will include jobs which could not be bestowed to Pakistani nationals having dual nationality. Prime Minister Imran Khan had strong affiliation with overseas Pakistanis and he wants to create extensive opportunities for them, he added.
He said the PM has instructed the Ministry of Petroleum to prepare a comprehensive plan to overcome gas shortages. About 28 percent of citizens are using system gas while 63 percent use LPG cylinders. The losses of the gas sector had increased to Rs 177 billion and Rs 50 billion of gas was being stolen due to bad decisions of the last government, he said adding the Prime Minister was amazed at the use of 44000 units of electricity in the Prime Minister's House and ordered the audit of use of electricity by his staff. In the tenure of the previous government, 95000 units of electricity were consumed in the Prime Minister's House.
He alleged that former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi left a burden of Rs 157 billion as loans to be paid by the gas sector. He further said that there was no loan when Abbasi had joined the ministry during the tenure of the last government. The sector is also facing gas theft, he added.
Clarifying the government's position on a news item regarding a bill of the Prime Minister House, he said that the Prime Minister ordered an audit of the staff who are managing the PM House.
He said that acting heads of Pakistan International Airlines, Civil Aviation Agency and other institutions have been appointed, whereas permanent heads of the organisations will be appointed through due process in near future. He said Air Marshal Arshad Malik was acting Chief Executive of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) while an advertisement had been issued to appoint a person on permanent basis. Secretary Aviation Shahrukh was given the additional charge of Director General Aviation.
The minister said that the Prime Minister has ordered the appointment of chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) from private sector. "A professional from private sector should head the CDA," he said, adding that currently the chief secretary is assuming the charge of CDA chairman. He further said that the cabinet was also briefed about the new Hajj policy.
Minister for Planning and Statistics Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar said opposition was not justified in raising a hue and cry over price hikes as according to verifiable figures of Bureau of Statistics, in the first months of the PPP and PML-N governments, inflation rose to 11.2 percent and 9.1 percent respectively. He said the PTI government inherited average inflation rate of 5.8 percent and it rose to 6.2 percent by December.
He said the government had decided to chalk out a communication strategy to make the people updated about latest prices of each and every commodity so that the profiteers and hoarders should be discouraged to exploit people due to their ignorance about the current prices of commodities.
He said in the cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister had directed to prepare a strict price control mechanism at provincial level to ensure that people get the commodities on the prescribed rates. He said the Consumer Price Index and Sensitive Price Index came down for low-income groups having salary from Rs 17,000 to Rs 77,000 per month.
He said in the 8th Joint Coordination Committee on CPEC held in Beijing last month, the two countries signed cooperation agreements in the fields of agriculture, industrialisation, and socio-economic development. "We have nine Specialized Economic Zones and we want to focus on initiating work on these economic zones as early as possible," he said.