May 22, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 21: The federal cabinet said on Wednesday it would not engage in talks with extremists and terrorists and decided to pay compensation to the people affected by military operations and militancy in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), especially South Waziristan.

Presided over by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, a meeting of the cabinet declared that peace talks were being held only with ‘peaceful tribesmen’ and there would be no deal with militant and extremist outfits who challenged the government’s writ.

A draft constitutional package prepared by PPP’s legal experts on restoration of pre-Nov 3 judiciary was not submitted to the cabinet and it is expected to be approved by a special cabinet meeting after its approval by the party’s central executive committee which will meet on May 24.

The cabinet also claimed that Tariq Azizuddin had been freed as a result of a security operation, and not under any deal, and that no militant commander had been released in exchange.

Later, Information Minister Sherry Rahman said that the army was only being ‘relocated and not withdrawn’ to open up roads to enable the displaced people to return to their homes.

She said that while the ANP-led NWFP government was holding talks with tribal jirgas, the federal government was ‘fully aware’ of the provincial government’s negotiations with Taliban leaders in Swat, adding that troops would remain there and in Fata.

She said that tribesmen, who would be paid compensation, were peaceful and had been forced to leave their homes because of fighting.

Referring to the recent Nato attack in the Bajaur Agency, she said the government firmly believed that no foreign force – Nato or the US – would be allowed to enter Pakistani territory to attack any target.

The cabinet also decided to withdraw the bill on curbing dowry expenses to accommodate a private member’s bill tabled in Senate, in line with the government’s desire to empower parliament.

The cabinet decided that the minimum wages of Rs6000 announced by the prime minister would be protected in the budget and the labour ministry would ensure its implementation.

The cabinet was informed that the Sensitive Price Index for the current week had registered a slight decline and the supply of food items had improved.

Passco was directed to accelerate wheat supply to areas facing shortages like Balochistan and the NWFP.

On the energy side, the cabinet directed all defaulting public sector departments to pay outstanding Wapda bills within one month, otherwise the authority would recover its dues at source.

The information minister, who also holds charge of the health ministry, said that Pakistan was given membership of the world health assembly during her recent visit to Geneva.