ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday gave an extension to the stay of registered Afghans residing in the country by March 31 next year.
The federal cabinet with Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the chair, approved extension of Proof Registration (PoR) Cards and Tripartite Agreement relating to Afghan refugees.
The Prime Minister said, “The Afghans are our brothers and very dear to us. Adequate and concrete steps will be ensured for their facilitation.”
He directed the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions to hold broad-based consultations with the national leadership of mainstream political parties and Afghan representatives for addressing the concerns of Afghan refugees.
“We will not allow that Afghan refugees living in Pakistan to be terrified in any way. They are our guests and their return plans would be decided in a way that does not create any negative impression in the minds of people living on both sides of the border,” he said.
These included approval of the Minutes of the last Cabinet Meeting, Land Acquisition for Diamer-Basha Dam: Compensation Rates of Barren Land, Chilas and Agreement between Indonesia and Pakistan on Cooperative Activities in the Field of Defence.
The Cabinet also approved the Ratification of the MoU between State Bank of Pakistan and Central Bank of Jordan on General Cooperation in Expertise and Knowledge Exchange in the field of Banking and Finance.
It approved Signing of the Protocol to Amend to the SAARC Limited Multilateral Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, while permission to start negotiations in principle with the Belarus for Entering into Memorandum of Understanding on Exchange of Customs Trade Data Statistics, was also accorded.
The Cabinet confirmed the decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) during 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
It also confirmed the decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet on Energy (CCE), and those taken by the Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCOP) in its meeting held on 10, 13 February, 09, 24 & 26 March and 06 & 11 April, 2015.
It also confirmed the decisions taken by Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCE) in its meetings held on 14-10-2015 and 22-02-2016, and those taken by the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) held on 07-09-2016.
PM said construction of mega Hydel projects would greatly help in fulfilling the energy needs of the country along with mitigating the hazards of floods.
“Our government is determined and focused on resolving the energy issues confronted by Pakistan. Our plans include execution of short, medium and long-term projects in this regard,” the Prime Minister said.
According to details available from the PM’s Media Office the Prime Minister said transparency must be maintained in the distribution of compensation money to the affected people of Diamer-Basha Dam.
“Our government has arranged the finances for Dasu dam through World Bank and all required measures have been taken for the construction of Diamer-Basha Dam,” the Prime Minister said. —APP
