ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet Thursday approved an agreement pertaining to the exchange of prisoners with the United Kingdom. Several issues were discussed during the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The cabinet approved a 21-point agenda and also reviewed implementation of the decisions taken during the previous meetings. Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered a ban on the medical treatment of federal ministers and senior government officials abroad at the government’s expense. The ban on treatment abroad will also be applied to senior officials, advisers, and federal secretaries. Briefing media about the decisions taken by the federal cabinet, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the meeting approved revamping of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) to improve its functioning and better utilization of its properties. He said Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera has been appointed secretary of the Investment Board. The cabinet also sanctioned issue of license to the Liberty Airlines. He said new board of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) will be constituted. Fawad said the cabinet decided that a committee comprising experts would be constituted to formulate policy on taxation to fulfill the longstanding demand of the business community. He said the cabinet approved appointment of Riaz Memon as new chairman of the Trading Corporation of Pakistan. The minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s China visit was highly successful as several agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed between the two countries. He said following the visit, Pakistan will be able to handle the balance of payments issue. He said during the meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan took the federal cabinet into confidence regarding his maiden official visit to China. Replying to questions, he said the opposition wanted that the government should not pursue corruption cases against their leaders, but no such concession would be given to them. He said it was unfortunate that in the past, government and the opposition plundered the country turn by turn. On the issue of appointment of chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), he said the deadlock still persists as the PML-N wants Shehbaz Sharif to hold audit of the tenure of his brother Nawaz Sharif which is illogical. He said the PTI has the stance that for audit of the projects of PML-N’s tenure, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member should be made chairman, and for projects of the PTI regime, Shehbaz Sharif could be named as PAC head. The minister said headlines by a section of media about so-called departure of Asia Bibi to a foreign country was the worst example of irresponsible journalism. He said some newspapers acted irresponsibly on a very serious issue. He said a review petition was pending in the Supreme Court in Asia Bibi case and the apex court is the competent authority to take a decision on this legal and constitutional matter. About change in the national accountability laws, he said a task force was working under Law Minister Farough Naseem and it would soon present its proposals. Published in Daily Times, November 9th 2018.