Cabinet allows import of up to five-year-old cars

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* Consensus policy to be evolved to address economic challenges g POL prices to be adjusted on recommendations of parliamentary committee

By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: To facilitate overseas Pakistanis and to encourage competition in local market, and keep prices of cars in common man’s reach, the federal cabinet on Wednesday allowed import of five-year-old used vehicles.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

“The cabinet decided to approve the import of five-year-old used cars,” Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said while briefing reporters after the meeting.

He clarified that the prime minister had postponed the decision until the next meeting of cabinet and the reports in media that earlier decision had been overruled, were totally incorrect.

The cabinet also endorsed decisions taken by the meeting of Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet. The finance minister briefed the cabinet on his meeting with the opposition regarding the state of economy.

The cabinet was informed that a consensus policy would be evolved in consultation with other parliamentary parties to address the economic challenges confronting the country. This would be in line with the policy of national reconciliation, which was adopted in evolving consensus on constitutional, legal and political issues.

The meeting was told that prices of petroleum products would be adjusted in the light of the recommendations of the parliamentary committee.

The prime minister gave instructions for immediate payment of salaries to the employees of those ministries that have been devolved to the provinces, Kaira said and added there were few hundred employees whose services were to be transferred to the provinces under the devolution plan. These would be transferred to the provinces on temporary basis and their financial burden would be borne by the federal government until June, he continued.

The cabinet decided to observe Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5 with complete commitment. The cabinet called upon all the provincial governments, human rights organisations and the media to help highlight the Kashmir issue.

It constituted a new committee to be headed by interior minister on the pending item related to Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis regarding the signing of MoU with the government of UAE.

The cabinet ratified and gave approval for signing of agreement with Indonesia on cooperation in the field of defence. The defence minister had signed the agreement on July 21, 2010 during his visit to Indonesia.

The cabinet considered and approved in principle to start negotiations for agreement on extradition treaty between Pakistan and Ukraine.