ISLAMABAD, May 9: Federal ministers were told in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday not to speak, take part in television discussions or give press statements or interviews on any aspect of the current judicial issue. It also requested President Pervez Musharraf to follow the guidelines set by the Supreme Court as code of conduct.

The meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, discussed in detail the current judicial crisis with particular reference to the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court about entry to the court’s premises and warning to the media against scandalising or maligning judges.

Sources said the cabinet had approved a plan for phased repatriation of Afghan refugees in three years. The prime minister said Pakistan had been hosting millions of Afghan refugees for many years. “Pakistan would like the refugees to return to their homeland with dignity and honour.”

There are about 2.9 million Afghan refugees left behind, although an even number had already been repatriated by 2002.

The cabinet discussed the May 12 rally to be organised by the ruling party in Islamabad. It will be addressed by President Musharraf. The cabinet asked the ministers to ensure their participation in the meeting to make it successful.

It condemned the recent suicide bombing at Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao’s rally and offered fateha for the victims.

The cabinet approved draft agreements and memoranda of understanding for defence cooperation with Spain, Egypt, Italy, Brazil, Jordan, Republic of Korea, Tajikistan, Kyrghyz Republic, Malaysia and Uganda. The agreements and MoUs relates to cooperation in the field of military training, exchange of personnel, defence industry and scientific and technological fields.

The prime minister briefed the cabinet on president’s recent visits to Poland, Spain, Bosnia and Turkey and said these would enhance bilateral cooperation with European Union countries.

He also spoke about his visit to China and said it had added new vistas of cooperation between the two nations.

The interior minister briefed the cabinet on progress made by the Pakistan-Afghanistan Jirga Commission and said a delegation from Afghanistan would visit Pakistan to finalise modalities of the commission. It will hold its first meeting in Kabul in August.

The cabinet was informed that the country was expecting a bumper wheat crop this year and the livestock production was showing encouraging signs.