Daily Times

The federal cabinet on Tuesday issued directives to the provincial governments for the constitution of provincial finance commissions to ensure equitable distribution of development funds among various areas of the provinces in order bring the less developed ones at par with the developed.

Briefing media about the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz said Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar will supervise the matters pertaining to the Provincial Finance Commission in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He said generally chief ministers and influential provincial ministers utilize development funds in their own constituencies, which creates a sense of deprivation among the people of other areas. Under the Provincial Finance Commission, every district will get its share of development funds under a formula.

He said that the cabinet directed the missions abroad to take steps for the release of some 11,376 Pakistanis jailed in various countries. The prime minister directed that legal assistance should be provided to the prisoners and the missions should strive for their early repatriation to Pakistan if any relief was possible for them due to the coronavirus. The prime minister expressed his determination to ensure transparency in the Senate elections as questions were raised on the transparency and fairness of Senate election in the past.

Shibli Faraz said the appointment of heads of various government institutions is a big challenge as no proper system was evolved for the purpose in the past where irregularities were committed in such nominations. The prime minister, he said, wants a system be in place to nominate suitable persons for the key posts. Dr Ishrat Hussain committee has been asked to make a comprehensive plan and introduce a transparent system for such nominations on fast-track basis, he added.

The cabinet also discussed the proposal to set up Hajj Fund and steps would be taken to ensure that no institution would spend pension funds for any other purpose. For the Hajj Fund, he added, the Malaysian model would be followed after removing legal hurdles in its establishment.

The cabinet was also briefed on the proposal to provide solar stoves to the people in northern Pakistan to prevent deforestation in the region. The cabinet decided to discuss the gas tariff and K-Electric issues in the next meeting.