Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The newly inducted federal cabinet in its maiden meeting on Monday decided to place imprisoned former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The meeting was held in Islamabad following the swearing-in ceremony of its members.

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the cabinet meeting, which also discussed economic challenges and austerity measures, among other matters.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered oath to the 16 ministers who, along with five advisers, make up PM Imran’s cabinet.

Speaking to the media shortly after the meeting, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that Nawaz and his daughter Maryam’s names would be placed on the no-fly list.

The cabinet also directed the law and interior ministries to implement red warrants against Nawaz’s sons, Hassan and Hussain, and former finance minister Ishaq Dar and bring them back to Pakistan, Chaudhry told the media.

The Law Ministry has been directed to contact the British government over the Avenfield properties, he added.

“Avenfield properties belong to Pakistan,” the information minister said, referring to one of the corruption cases against the Sharif family in which Nawaz was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison while his daughter Maryam was given eight years’ sentence by an accountability court earlier in July.

It has been decided that the process of accountability will start from the prime minister and the cabinet members for which they will again declare their assets before the people of Pakistan, Chaudhry said.

“Eliminating corruption is an important part of our policy,” Chaudhry continued, adding that there will be no political appointments in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s government.

The meeting also focused on implementation of the policy measures announced by PM Imran in his address to the nation on Sunday.

The minister said the cabinet had decided to withdraw medical facility for ministers and members of the parliament abroad and gave approval for auction of 88 luxury vehicles of the Prime Minister’s House.

He said two committees had been formed to review heritage and general property of the state in order to make them beneficial for the common people.

He said that the committee headed by Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood would decide the use of historical buildings while the other committee led by Finance Minister Asad Umar would approve measures for use of general government property.

He said that foreign trips of ministers would be curtailed and the prime minister won’t go foreign visits in the next three months until absolute necessary.

Chaudhry also commented on the government’s stance on relations with neighbouring countries, saying talks with China and India would continue. He said that relations with India would be based on state-level instead of personal relations.

He added that the foreign missions would be directed to help Pakistanis abroad and if someone failed to do so he would be recalled.

The cabinet did not discuss anything regarding former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, he said.

Fawad further expressed hope that the party would also win the presidential election, scheduled for September 4. The minister added that the PTI would fully participate in the by-elections.

Published in Daily Times, August 21^st 2018.