ISLAMABAD, March 9: The federal cabinet on Wednesday advised Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and sacked revenue minister Imtiaz Shaikh to stop their media war and wait for an inquiry report ordered by the prime minister.

The cabinet, which met here with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in the chair, was informed by the prime minister that he had advised both leaders not to indulge in media war and assured them that a just solution would be found after the completion of inquiry.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said President Gen Pervez Musharraf's proposed visit to India to watch cricket match had not been finalized as yet.

Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao briefed the meeting about the law and order situation in Balochistan. Responding to a question about the report of a cabinet committee on the issue of religion column in the new passport, Sheikh Rashid said Rao Sikandar Iqbal, who is the head of the committee, had been directed by the prime minister to submit his report for implementation.

He rejected reports that PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would hold talks with political leaders during his visit to London and said the PML chief was going on a private visit.

When asked if the cabinet discussed the performance of ministries, Mr Ahmed said the prime minister was already reviewing performance and targets of three ministries and the matter did not figure in the meeting.

The information minister said the cabinet discussed in detail the menace of drug abuse and addiction, which was the second biggest killer after hepatitis, and decided to curb the menace by using all possible resources.

To formulate a national policy in this regard, the cabinet decided to set up a four-member committee comprising ministers for health, information, social welfare and women development and directed it to submit a report within a month.

The cabinet also decided to set up a chain of hospitals and rehabilitation centres across the country for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. The meeting was informed that the census of Afghan refugees living in the country had been completed successfully. It was also told that the Afghan refugees would be repatriated voluntarily till March 16, 2006, under a tripartite agreement.

The meeting directed the health ministry to set up a pilot drug rehabilitation centre in Islamabad by April 15 which would be inaugurated by the prime minister.

The cabinet also directed the authorities to take notice of the growing trend of glue sniffing, especially among children, and asked relevant ministries to launch a campaign aimed at informing parents about the hazards it posed.

The cabinet approved amendments to the Banking Companies Ordinance (1962) for carrying out future directions of the financial sector for achieving a better supervision and regulation of financial market and institutions.

The cabinet ratified a convention between Pakistan and Belarus for avoidance of double taxation. It also ratified the treaty between Pakistan and the UAE on the service of judicial and extra-judicial documents.

It also approved the additional protocol to the Saarc regional convention on the suppression of terrorism. The cabinet approved the signing of a MoU with Saudi Arabia on cooperation in combating illicit traffic in narcotic drugs. It also approved initiation of negotiations with Eritrea for avoidance of double taxation.