ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The federal cabinet on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the local body election process and described it as 90 per cent free, fair and transparent with only 8-10 per cent complaints about irregularities.
The cabinet resolved to take severe action against people found guilty in the Sonia Naz assault case. A judicial inquiry in the case has been initiated on the directive of the prime minister and action has been taken against the concerned SP, Abdullah Khalid, and the SHO Jaranwala who has been accused by the victim of committing the assault.
The cabinet described the overall impact of the local body poll as positive with no concrete complaint of rigging or official interference.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who was in the chair, refused to entertain individual complaints about the poll by ministers and asked them to raise the matter with either the ruling Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain or in the coalition parliamentary party meeting.
Inside sources said the premier stopped a minister when he tried to narrate what he called excesses his group had suffered in the local council elections, thereby discouraging other ministers from raising the issue at the meeting.
Some ministers had earlier requested the prime minister for separate audience to enable them to lodge complaints against election manipulations they believed had been done on the directive of the Punjab government.
An official handout said the meeting was of the view that “the turnout of more than 48 per cent in the elections indicates the confidence of the people of Pakistan in favour of the continuity of the policies and strengthening of the democratic system.”
The cabinet discussed the legislative agenda to be followed in the current session of parliament.
A draft legislation was approved to discourage use of unsafe medical devices, especially syringes and catheters, which were a major cause of communicable diseases like hepatitis B and C and HIV/Aids.
It was decided that a sizable amount would be allowed from Zakat funds to help poor patients, especially those suffering from hepatitis.
The cabinet approved an ‘axle load control regime’ aimed at protecting highways and roads from overloaded trucks. A committee comprising ministers for communications, railways, agriculture and industries was set up to make recommendations for implementing the regime in consultation with transporters, farmers, manufacturers and traders.
It was informed that single-axle and overloaded trucks were the main cause of damage to roads and the loss caused by them came to 4.5 per cent of the GDP.
The meeting discussed long- and short-term measures to avoid train accidents, like the one that occurred at the Sarhad station near Ghotki last month.
The prime minister directed the ministry of railways to introduce structural changes to improve efficiency of Pakistan Railways.
A bill was approved to provide for the establishment of the Iqbal Academy Pakistan under the Iqbal Academy Pakistan Act 2005.
The cabinet approved ratification of a convention on raising awareness at local, national and international level about the importance of cultural heritage and the need to safeguard it through international cooperation.
An agreement between Pakistan and China on cooperation in combating terrorism, secessionism and extremism was ratified. Memorandums of understanding and protocols signed with China about export of citrus, rice, mango and livestock were also ratified.
The cabinet approved negotiations on bilateral investment and agreement with the government of Ukraine.
The cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to negotiations with Yemen and to the signing of an agreement on cooperation in the field of technical education and vocational training.
Agreements with Uzbekistan on reciprocal promotion and protection of investment were also accorded ex-post facto approval.
The cabinet approved joining the energy charter treaty by Pakistan as an observer as it would help create an enabling environment for investment.