LAHORE: The Cabinet Committee on Legislative business on Wednesday deferred the proposal to allocate 32 per cent of jobs quota for South Punjab for further consideration on the objection of the higher education minister.

In continuation, the committee also deferred proposed amendments to the Punjab Civil Servants Act, 1974.

It may be mentioned that Prime Minister Imran Khan in April gave a go ahead to amend the Punjab Civil Servants Act of 1974 and to carry out necessary legislation to allow 32 per cent of job quota for south Punjab — proportionate to the region’s population percentage in the province.

The cabinet committee’s 63rd meeting chaired by law minister Basharat Raja deferred proposals for the establishment of University of Gujranwala and University of Attock.

The cabinet committee gave a go ahead to amend the Pakistan Penal Code Ordinance of 2019 to prevent power theft moved by the Punjab energy department. The energy department’s another proposal to include private sector in power transmission. It allowed proposal of Private Member Amendment Bill in Power Generation and distribution Act 1997 as well as Draft of Punjab Irrigated Forest and Ecotourism Act of 2021.

The committee gave its nod for affiliation of educational institutions with private universities in Punjab. It also approved allocating a series of special numbers for Lahore High Court government vehicles.

Punjab Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Humayun and relevant departments’ administrative secretaries attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2021