October 16, 2003	Thursday	Sha'aban 19, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: The federal cabinet on Wednesday directed the provinces to improve law and order so that safety of citizens’ life and property could be ensured.

Talking to reporters afterwards, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the interior minister briefed the cabinet on the situation, and suggested a number of steps to improve it.

The cabinet also decided to increase the salaries of parliamentarians, but the information minister did not say how much. He however hinted that “perhaps” the raise would be of the same level as given to senior government servants.

He said the security measures will include monitoring of entry into principal cities by cameras.

The cabinet also approved a proposal by the ministry of Railways to lease out its spare land all over the country. The funds collected from this would be used by the Railways for retirement of its debt and revamping of its locomotives. The respective provincial governments will get a share of 35 per cent from the sale proceeds.

The provincial chief ministers, chief secretaries and the Inspectors General of Police also briefed the cabinet on the status of implementation of the Police Order 2002 and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Sheikh Rashid said the operation against extremists in the tribal areas would continue. He said an important Al Qaeda man, who was among the top ten most wanted persons, was killed in the operation in Waziristan agency. He said that he knew the name of the person but would not disclose it. He, however, said that the person killed in the operation was definitely not Abdur Rehman or Abdur Rahim as was being speculated.

The prime minister directed the provinces to submit their recommendations suggesting amendments to the schedule 6 of the Local Government Ordinance so that government functionaries at the district level could be vested with powers to check prices, ensure quality control and deal with the law and order situation.

The cabinet also decided to take action against the banned outfits who are operating under different names.

The prime minister also directed the provinces to ensure effective registration of aliens particularly in Karachi so that unwanted aliens could be identified and tracked. The provinces were also asked to implement the Police Order 2002 in letter and in spirit.

The cabinet approved ratification of a Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It also approved National Development Finance Corporation Repeal Bill 2003. The NDFC was established under the National Development Finance Corporation Act 1973 (Act No. SIII of 1973) for project financing and equity investment.

The finance division, in the interest of the depositors, as well as the public at large, proposed to wind up the NDFC, which was on the brink of bankruptcy due to its weak financial position.

The NDFC was amalgamated with NBP on Nov 1, 2001 on which date it ceased to function as an operating entity. The amalgamation process was completed on June 30, 2002, upon certification by the auditors of the final valuation of assets and liabilities of the corporation taken over by NBP. However, the outstanding legal and administrative issues delayed the process of its dissolution.