• PM directs cabinet to enhance service delivery
• Decides to use £190m transferred from UK for Daanish University

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday called for strict monitoring of essential commodity prices during the holy month of Ramazan, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged cabinet members to enhance their performance in serving the people.

The prime minister presided over the first formal cabinet meeting following its recent expansion. He welcomed the new members and extended his best wishes to them.

According to the PM Office, the cabinet was briefed by Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal on the monitoring of prices of essential items during Ramazan.

The prime minister observed that the performance of the Price Control Committee for Islamabad had been very effective and efficient.

The cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, approved the Directorate of Religious Education as an affiliated department of the ministry.

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the meeting approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team and the National Computer Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Centre of China to strengthen cooperation in the field of cybersecurity.

The objective of the MoU is to promote collaboration in research, consultation and training related to cybersecurity. Under the MoU, coordination on preventing cyberattacks, policy development, cybersecurity drills, exchange of cybersecurity intelligence, capacity building and awareness promotion would be ensured.

The cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of IT and Tele­communication, approved an agreement between the United Nations’ International Telecom Union (ITU) and the ministry for the establishment of an ITU Accelerator Centre. Under the agreement, the National Incubation Centre in Islamabad would function as an ITU centre, by enhancing its capacity.

The meeting endorsed the decisions made during the Economic Coordination Committee meeting held on Feb 20, as well as the decisions taken in the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases meeting held on March 4.

Performance

Earlier, while addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed cabinet members to step up their performance to drive the country’s economic transformation and undergo scrutiny to meet public expectations.

He said Pakistan’s economic growth was the most critical concern and could be achieved by improving performance in key sectors such as agriculture, commerce, trade, finance, IT, mines and minerals, and maritime.

The prime minister announced that he would chair a performance review of all ministries every three months.

PM Shehbaz also highlighted the resurgence of terrorism in the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and acknowledged that law enforcement agencies and the armed forces were making great sacrifices daily, which needed to be remembered. Without complete peace, the dream of development and prosperity remains elusive, he added.

Daanish University

The prime minister announced that the government had decided to establish a state-of-the-art university using £190 million recovered from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA). The institute, named Daanish University of Applied and Emerging Sciences, would offer advanced education and mentorship in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, technology, and other modern disciplines.

The prime minister decided to allocate the £190m, transferred from the UK to the Supreme Court’s account, for the establishment of Daanish University, rather than the Al-Qadir Trust/University, which was founded by former PM Imran Khan.

Separately, while chairing a steering committee meeting, he expressed gratitude to the Chief Justice of Pakistan for ensuring the smooth transfer of the funds to the federal government’s account.

The NCA had frozen £190m and sent it to Pakistan, as the amount had allegedly been transferred to the UK through money laundering by real estate tycoon Malik Riaz.

However, then-PM Imran Khan redirected the funds to the Supreme Court to adjust them against a Rs450 billion penalty imposed on Malik Riaz in a case related to Bahria Town Karachi.

In return, Malik Riaz reportedly provided a piece of land to the PTI leadership for the establishment of Al-Qadir Trust/University near Sohawa. The real estate tycoon also funded the construction of the university.

Recently, the National Accountability Bureau filed a reference against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, for allegedly being beneficiaries and trustees of Al-Qadir Trust.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2025