ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday strongly condemned the unprovoked firing by Indian security forces across the Line of Control (LoC), wounding innocent civilians, including women and children. The cabinet prayed for swift recovery of the injured, the PM’s Office media wing said in a press release. The cabinet offered fateha for the martyrs of Kurram Agency IED blast and the martyrs of terrorist attack in Quetta. It also expressed deep appreciation for Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for his extraordinary role in achieving 10-year high growth rate of 5.3 percent in the financial year 2017, which was endorsed and acknowledged by the World Bank in its recent statement. The cabinet approved appointment of Peshawar High Court judge Justice Musarrat Hilali as the judge of Special Appellate Court, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under Section 46(1) of the Prevention of Smuggling Act, 1977. The cabinet approved the proposal to notify Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company Limited as development finance institution (DFI) under Section 3-A of the Banking Companies Ordinance 1962. Ex-post facto approval of acceptance of Argentine award “Order of Mayo” by Imtiaz Ahmed, additional secretary, Foreign Affairs Division, was also granted. Imtiaz Ahmed had received the award while serving as ambassador of the country to Argentine. The cabinet also approved signing of inter-governmental agreement on supply of liquefied natural gas between Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), government of Pakistan, and Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department, Government of Malaysia. Ex-post facto approval of acceptance of awards “King Abdul Aziz Medal of Excellence” and “Legion of Merit” by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Turkish Government to General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M), chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, was also granted. Signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between TAFE Directors Australia and the Pakistan National Vocational and Technical Training Commission for encouraging cooperation in vocational and technical training to NAVTTC was also approved on the occasion. Published in Daily Times, October 18th 2017.