Federal Cabinet vows to undermine violence and anarchy in the country

Islamabad: The federal cabinet has decided that PTI will not be allowed to spread chaos, violence and anarchy by besieging the country’s capital in the name of so-called Long March.

This was announced by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, while briefing media about the decisions taken in the federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Tuesday. He was joined by representatives of the allied parties in the government.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said PTI’s proposed long march has nothing to do with the democratic norms as these people are hell-bent to create uncertainty and spread anarchy in the country.

Reminding PTI’s previous sit-in in 2014, the Interior Minister said these are the people, who had besieged the Prime Minister House, provoked people to start civil disobedience in the country and hung dirty clothes on the building of the parliament and the Supreme Court. He said PTI Chief Imran Khan is working on divide and mislead the nation and the government will not allow him to promote this agenda.

Rana Sanaullah said the entire leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is present in Peshawar from where it is planning to invade the federal capital by utilizing forces and resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said violent gangs cannot be allowed to attack the federation. He warned the people, who have become hypnotized by Imran Khan’s politics of hatred and divide, to come out of this illusion and stay away from these things.

The Interior Minister said maintaining law and order and ensuring security and protection of people’s lives, businesses, and properties is the top priority of the government and nobody or group will be allowed to harm them. He urged all the institutions, political parties and the media to play their role to prevent this attempt of creating disorder.

The Interior Minister said the government respects the right of expression and staging a peaceful democratic protest, but nobody can be allowed to stage a bloody march.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mahmood PTI’s long march is aimed at ruining country’s politics and the economy. He said a violent march will not be allowed.

Meanwhile, the federal cabinet on Tuesday approved the formation of a special committee, under the federal law minister, with a mandate to hold consultations with all the relevant institutions and experts on the issue of enforced disappearances.

During the meeting of the federal cabinet held here under his chair, the prime minister was given a briefing on the issue of enforced disappearances. The cabinet committee would consist of cabinet members belonging to all the political parties.

It was told that a special committee of the cabinet had been constituted on the subject which served to look into the factors behind the disappearances besides working for the recovery of the missing persons.

Moreover, a bill to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure 1860 had been tabled in the National Assembly which proposed strict punishment for the people involved in enforced disappearances. The amendment bill is currently under consideration by the Senate Standing Committee concerned.

Calling it a serious constitutional issue, the cabinet members called for practical steps for its resolution in coordination with all the stakeholders. The prime minister said the enforced disappearances was a serious issue that led to the lawlessness.

The federal cabinet also approved the tabling of Elections (Amendment) Bill 2022, saying the participation of overseas Pakistanis in the electoral process was essential for they being a precious asset of the country.

The previous government made legislation on the matter without taking the Election Commission into confidence.

The cabinet members emphasized the deliberation over reports of the Election Commission on the use of electronic voting machines and the voting right of the expatriates.

The meeting viewed that the use of electronic voting machines and voting rights for the overseas Pakistanis should be examined under a pilot project.

The Election (Amendment) Bill provides for the launch of the pilot project on the EVM as well as voting for the expatriates for the onward presentation of its report to the parliament that would ascertain its practicability.

Discussing other agenda items, the federal cabinet approved the revival of the Railways Estate Development and Marketing Company (REDAMCO), on the recommendation of the railway ministry. The REDAMCO was a subsidiary of the railway ministry which was dissolved by the previous government.

The company had been operating to utilize the railways land for profit-making activities which had also led to the surge in the department’s revenue. The revenue was being used to meet the salaries and pension of the railway employees as well as the development projects.

The federal cabinet endorsed the decision made by the cabinet committee on the legal reforms committee in its meetings held on May 19 and 25, 2022.

The committee had decided on the amendment of Chartered Accountability Bye-Laws 1983; approved the rules for appointment of chairman and members of the National Industrial Relations Commission; and Election (Amendment) Bill 2022.

The cabinet nullified the induction of incumbent Chairman of Karachi Port Trust Chairman Nadir Mumtaz on deputation and assigned the additional charge to the Director-General of Ports and Shipping. The new chairman will be appointed through an open competition.

The federal cabinet also ratified the prime minister’s advice to the president regarding the appointment of the Punjab governor.

The meeting also held a threadbare discussion on the prime minister’s advice to the president on various matters. Earlier to this, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Monday strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan.

He appreciated the brave officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army for giving a befitting response to the terrorists and paid tribute to sepoys Zahoor and Raheem who sacrificed their lives while defending the motherland. The prime minister expressed condolence over the loss of life and sympathized with the bereaved families. He said the sacrifices of the Pakistan Army in the war against terrorism was a golden chapter of history. The prime minister also prayed for peace of the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear the loss.