Cabinet allows private sector to import wheat: Sherry

Associated Press Service

ISLAMABAD : Federal Cabinet Wednesday decided to allow private sector to import wheat and abolished 10 per cent duty to facilitate the importers. Announcing the decisions of the Cabinet at a press briefing, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman said the ban on wheat export would continue. She said procurement process of wheat is in progress and PESCO has been directed to ensure supply of wheat to NWFP and Balochistan on priority to meet their requirements.Answering a question, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman said action against wheat hoarders was being taken and for the first time private sector has been allowed to import wheat to ensure its smooth supply.
The government has also decided to keep strategic stocks of wheat and rice to ensure stability of edible items’ prices, the minister added.
She said Pakistan was a sovereign state and would not allow any incursions on its territory from any country or foreign force.
On the agreement with local tribes in NWFP, she said it was a part of multi-faceted policy of the government to restore peace there, as all the issues cannot be resolved through force only.
Sherry Rehman said improvement of law and order was joint responsibility of the government and political forces and added all the decisions being taken in this regard would be in the larger interest of the masses. Replying to a question, she said all the stakeholders were being taken on-board.
However, she made it clear that no army battalion was being pulled back from the FATA and Swat.
“No one would be allowed to challenge the writ of the government and it would be maintained at all cost,” she declared.
Sherry Rehman said the provincial government and the Governor of NWFP were taken in confidence regarding peace talks with the tribal people.
She said government would consider paying compensation to the families of those tribal people who lost their lives during military operations. However, anybody involved in attacks on the army or government installations would not be paid any compensation.
To a question about lawyers’ long march, she said, agitation was a democratic right of the people and the present government acknowledges this right.
About violations of Labour Laws by various private sector organizations, she said, such violations should be brought to the notice of the government or the tribunals for provision of relief to the victims.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman said the Federal Cabinet expressed deep grief of the government and the people of Pakistan over the loss of lives in China’s earthquake. On the directive of the Prime Minister, two C-130 aircraft and 50 trucks loaded with tents and other relief goods were dispatched today to China for the earthquake victims, she said. The Cabinet observed one minute silence as a mark of respect for the deceased.
She told the media that the Cabinet also decided to withdraw the official dowry and bridal gifts bill in view of the fact that a Private Member Bill on the same subject had already been passed by the Senate.
The Cabinet, she said decided to introduce amendments as contained in the official bill at the time of consideration by the National Assembly directly or through the Committee.
The Cabinet also considered Draft Amendment Bill on Zakat and Baitul Mal and observed that the Bill was based on recommendations of a sub-committee constituted in 2004, she added.
The Cabinet decided to form another sub-committee to examine the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance 1980 in totality.
The Committee consists of Minister for Religious Affairs, Minister for Law, Minister for Social Welfare, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Finance and Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Sector Development, Mrs. Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Secretary Religious Affairs, Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology and the chief secretaries of the four provinces.
The minister said the Cabinet also approved the summary of the Investment Division for grant of airport entry passes. Under the plan one entry pass would be issued to the investor, investing 10 million dollars, two airport passes for the investors having equity investment of more than 20 million dollars and three airport passes for the investors over 50 million dollars.
The Cabinet approved the minimum wages of workers to Rs. 6000 per month and will be presented as a part of the Finance Bill, the Minister informed.
The Cabinet constituted a committee to report on Provincial Employees Social Security Ordinance. The Committee consists of Minister for Defence, Minister for Labour, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Sector, and Interior Adviser to the Prime Minister.
The Cabinet also decided that committee consisting the Minister for Law, Minister for Finance and Minister for Industries will interact with the State Bank of Pakistan to review the written off loans and the non-performing loans with its recommendations for the consideration of the Cabinet, Sherry Rehman said.