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| 11 March 2004 | Thursday | 19 Muharram 1425 |
NSC bill to be tabled in current NA session
ISLAMABAD, March 10: The federal cabinet decided on Wednesday to introduce the draft National Security Council bill in the current session of the National Assembly for its consideration.
Briefing journalists on decisions taken by the federal cabinet which met here with Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali in the chair, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said there was no need for further talks with the MMA on the bill.
The minister said there was no need for such a dialogue at this juncture when asked whether the government intended to hold fresh talks with the MMA over the NSC draft bill.
Sheikh Rashid said the federal cabinet had also taken decisions relating to trade and commerce, including rejection of the fungus-infected Australian wheat. He said the cabinet discussed the report of the Australian wheat sample analysis conducted under the supervision of Dr Attaur Rahman, adviser to the prime minister on science and technology.
The cabinet accepted the recommendations of the second laboratory test reconfirming the presence of fungus, the minister added. The second test was conducted by an eight-member team of scientists in the presence of an Australian plant pathologist and two other Australian representatives, he said.
The cabinet directed the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Supply Corporation (Paasco) to take further action in the light of the tests as it was a matter between Paasco and the importing company.
The cabinet also directed Paasco to ensure fulfilment of contractual obligations, the minister said, adding the government had taken the decision on principle.
The information minister said the cabinet reviewed the flour (atta) availability situation in the country and expressed its satisfaction as the supply of 'atta' had improved considerably during the last couple of days bringing about reduction in its price.
The prime minister directed Paasco and provincial governments to speed up procurement of wheat from the under-harvest crop in an efficient and transparent manner. The prime minister also directed the finance ministry to ensure availability of funds for Paasco so that it could undertake its procurement target of 1.4 million tons.
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