HR bodies, media asked to highlight Kashmir issue
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday decided to observe the Kashmir Solidarity Day on Feb 5 with full devotion and commitment. The provincial governments, human rights organisations and the media have been asked to highlight the issue of Jammu and Kashmir on that day.
Information Minister Qamar Zaman Mr Kaira said the cabinet had reviewed the status of implementation of its earlier decisions relating to the ministries of information technology, law and parliamentary affairs, narcotics control division, overseas Pakistanis and petroleum and natural resources.
The cabinet was informed that about 95 per cent of the decisions had been implemented while negotiations with the stakeholders concerned were going on to enforce the remaining decisions. The prime minister called for a timeline to complete the consultation process.
The cabinet constituted a committee, headed by the interior minister, on an issue pending with the ministry of overseas Pakistanis regarding the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the UAE government.
The cabinet condemned the Tuesday`s suicide attacks in Lahore and Karachi and reiterated the government`s resolve to fight terrorism and extremism to the end. It paid homage to the policemen who lost their lives protecting others and offered condolence to the families of all those who were killed in the attacks.
Mr Kaira said the cabinet had expressed its resolve to continue with the war against terror with full force, adding that the government had never claimed that this war would be over in months. He claimed that mainstream terrorist networks had been broken, but splinter groups were still engaged in terrorist activities. “It is a war of mindset and a collective struggle is needed to win it”.
In reply to a question, the information minister said that no proposal was under consideration to ban fresh inductions into government departments.
He said the finance minister would soon give a detailed briefing on the economic situation. Restructuring plans for Pakistan Steel Mills, Railways and Pepco were to be presented before the cabinet, but it was not done because of consultations going on with political parties.
Mr Kaira said the cabinet had asked the finance ministry to resolve the issue of salary of employees of the ministries devolved to the provinces. He said that financial burden of these ministries would be borne by the federal government till June this year.
The cabinet ratified and approved the signing of an agreement with Indonesia on cooperative activities in the field of defence. The agreement was signed on July 21 last year by the defence minister during his visit to Indonesia.
The cabinet approved negotiations for an agreement with Senegal on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income, an MoU with Korea for development and promotion of long-term cooperation in the field of environmental protection and an agreement with Ukraine on extradition treaty.
The cabinet ratified and approved the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. The optional protocol will enable the government to fulfil its national and international obligations regarding children rights. The United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Conference have urged member states to ratify the protocol.
The cabinet ratified and approved the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is obligatory to all UN member states to sign and ratify the convention provided they have no reservations.
Pakistan had signed the convention on Sept 25, 2008.
Source: Dawn
Date:1/27/2011
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