ISLAMABAD: Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said a task force will be set up to resolve the problems of slums in order to bring them into the mainstream.
Briefing media about cabinet decisions in Islamabad Friday evening, the Minister said the government wants to improve the living standard of people and resolve their issues.
The Minister said the cabinet took another important decision to ban the use of all discretionary funds of President, Prime Minister and MNAs as it is an insult to taxpayers.
He added from now onwards, the development projects will be discussed in parliament and their approval will be given after a detailed review.
Fawad Chaudhry the discretionary powers of all the ministers to grant funds have also been revoked.
The Information Minister said funds worth 21 billion rupees were spent by previous government last year. In addition, thirty billion rupees were allocated to MNAs for development projects, making it a huge amount of 51 billion rupees.
He said previous governments used national exchequer like their own property.
Fawad Chaudhry said as part of austerity drive of Prime Minister, it has been decided that special plane of Prime Minister will not be used for foreign visits. Rather, he will travel in ordinary passenger planes and use the club class instead of business or first class.
This discretion has also been abolished for President, Chief Justice, and other senior officials.
The Minister said cabinet also took the decision to hold a forensic audit of all mass transport projects including Multan Metro bus project, Lahore Orange Train Project, and Peshawar Metro Bus. He said, if needed, FIA will investigate the issues.
The cabinet also decided to start urban tree plantation projects in Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, and Lahore from next month. The purpose is to make these areas green and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.
He said the cabinet decided that working hours will be changed from 9 am to 5 p.m. and the weekly holiday of Saturday will not be abolished. It will also be ensured that public servants dedicate full time to their jobs during the working hours.
Commenting on an incident in Faisalabad, Fawad Chaudhry said it was a law and order situation matter between two groups and had no religious dimension.
Replying to a question, the Minister said it is being considered to abolish the Ministry of CADD and merge its employees into other departments.
On a question regarding information ministry, he said there will be visible changes in his ministry soon.
He said PTV and Radio Pakistan have been given directions to give equal coverage to all political parties and their leaders and there is no editorial censorship on both.
He said the duration of English transmissions on PTV and Radio Pakistan will be enhanced in order to give the world a picture of what is happening in the country.
He said PTV World will highlight the regional issues of the country.
Fawad Chaudhry told a questioner that task forces set up by the government are for short-term goals and long-term goals and they will work accordingly.
On another question, a mechanism is being evolved to hold a complete inquiry on Result Transmission System of Election Commission of Pakistan, so that such delays do not occur in future.
Govt abolishes all discretionary funds of president, PM, MNAs
Govt abolishes all discretionary funds of president, PM, MNAs
Six cops killed as IED explosion targets police vehicle in northwestern Pakistan
- Blast in northwestern Tank district kills inspector, additional sub-inspector, driver and three members of elite force personnel, says police official
- Attack takes place as Islamabad grapples with surge in militant attacks in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan
PESHAWAR: Six cops were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast that targeted a police vehicle in Pakistan’s northwestern Tank district on Monday, a police official said as Islamabad struggles to contain surging militant attacks in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
The IED explosion targeted an armored police vehicle on the Gomal-Jutta Road near the Kot Wali Canal area, Tank police spokesperson Younas Khan said. The blast killed an inspector, an additional sub-inspector, the driver of the vehicle and three members of the police’s elite force personnel.
“The armored police vehicle was completely damaged in the explosion,” Khan said.
He said senior police officials, including District Police Officer (DPO) Tank Shabbir Hussain Shah reached the site of the blast to collect evidence and carry out an operation in the nearby rugged terrain.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the incident, directing authorities to carry out an investigation into the incident.
“The terrorists responsible for this attack will be brought to their logical end at the earliest,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi praised police for their sacrifices against militancy, vowing to bring all those involved in the incident to justice.
“Anti-peace elements would not succeed in their nefarious designs by targeting the police force,” Afridi said as per a statement released from his office.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant outfit has claimed responsibility for some of the deadliest attacks targeting law enforcement personnel in KP in the past. The TTP has frequently targeted convoys of security forces, police stations and check-posts besides kidnapping government officials in the region.
Islamabad has frequently accused Afghanistan of allowing the use of its soil to armed outfits such as the TTP. It has also alleged that India backs militant groupswho carry out attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi have consistently denied this.
