960408

Cabinet allows import

of 2,25,000 tonnes sugar

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet on Monday decided to allow import of 2.25 lakh tonnes of sugar into the country to check the rising prices in the open market.

"The measure will force the hoarders of sugar to bring out their hidden stocks and improve its availability in the country", the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Khalid Ahmed Khan Kharal told a news conference.

"Nawaz and his group like Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Hummayun Akhtar have a monopoly on the sugar industry and they are not off-loading the stocks into the market. The government does not want to interfere in their trade practices", he added.

The State Bank, he said, has already been informed to allow opening of LCs for this purpose and the consumers will soon be getting sugar at affordable prices.

To a question, the Minister said, it was not possible to determine the exact stocks, however, earlier lakhs of sacks of sugar were recovered from the hoarders.

FOREX RESOURCES

The Information Minister said that the Cabinet has expressed satisfaction over the foreign exchange resource position due to government's incentives.

"The cabinet particularly noted the major achievement that the government has repaid one billion US dollars of foreign debt".

The debt, he said, was retired in two tranches - one of 800 million dollars and other of 200 million dollars.

ECNEC PERFORMANCE

The Cabinet reviewed the position of the schemes dealt with by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council. It was informed that in mid- February, the Ecnec had approved 12 projects involving a total cost of over Rs. 11190 million. The Cabinet noted with satisfaction that the projects approved by Ecnec included one aimed at increasing the productivity of kitchen crops at a cost of over Rs. 142 million. The project would help increase the productivity of such kitchen items as pulses and vegetables through the provision of better quality seeds.

The Cabinet directed Ecnec to concentrate fully on implementation of projects already approved by it. It felt that Ecnec should lay greater emphasis on consolidating the impact of projects under completion instead of going in for new projects which, it thought, should be undertaken sparingly after thorough studies.

PROPOSALS, APPROVAL OF BILLS

The Minister said that the cabinet was also presented with a progress report on the convention centre being built in Islamabad in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Pakistan's independence. The meeting was informed that the work was progressing satisfactorily and was in fact one month ahead of schedule. The Cabinet appreciated the pace of progress and expressed confidence that the centre would be completed in all respects in time to host the special Islamic summit to be held in March next year.

The Cabinet accorded approval to a proposal to arrange a one-day conference to highlight the contribution of Late Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for the cause of Islam and the unity of Muslim Ummah. The conference will be held in September this year in Karachi. About 300 renowned scholars, intellectuals, religious leaders and political figures would be invited.

The Cabinet also approved a draft bill to amend the Patent and Design Act, 1911 so as to meet the requirements of the World Trade Organization and other related international agencies.

He said the Cabinet approved another draft bill for submission to the parliament to amend the Suparco Ordinance, 1981. The amendment seeks to give effect to the Cabinet's earlier decision to appoint the Defence Minister as head of both the Space Research Council and its Executive Committee.

Kharal said approval was also accorded by the Cabinet to an agreement between Pakistan and Germany for the purposes of re-admission of their citizens. The Re-admission Agreement was suggested by the German Embassy on the eve of the visit of the German President to Pakistan. The Agreement would facilitate there-mission of those persons who hold the nationality of either of the two countries but stay illegally in the other country.

LAW & ORDER

He said that during discussion on the law and order situation, the Cabinet was informed that reports have been received that the leader of the Opposition, aided and abetted by extremist forces, has drawn up a plan to stir up violence in different parts of the country and primarily in Lahore beginning early this month when the PPP leaders were busy in connection with the death anniversary of late Z. A. Bhutto.

The Cabinet was further informed that groups of 20 armed persons per ward are reported to have been raised in Lahore to cause bloodshed and anarchy. The leader of the Opposition is also reported to have established contacts with various ethnic and sectarian groups having military training and asked them for assistance. Similar contacts are also to be made with Altaf group and the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.

He said in this connection, the meeting noted a statement of former COAS General Aslam Beg on April 4 about a "conspiracy against the Government" and the one by Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, MNA, who claimed on the floor of the house that there was a plot to assassinate him and put the blame on the PPP.

The Cabinet was informed that the Government has already arrested a group of terrorists that was to assassinate some elected representatives during the World Cup and another group of terrorists that was to indulge in acts of violence in Faisalabad. However, the Government, he said, was determined to foil all such nefarious plans and was fully capable of frustrating the evil designs of all those who were out to destroy the country's peace and harmony

He said that discussing the recent incident in Lahore, the cabinet was informed that Javed Ashraf, led an armed group with the objective of setting on fire a police kiosk. According to the forensic expert, the lead pellet found in the body of Javed Ashraf was fired from a smooth bore weapon whereas the police officers on duty carried Chinese made rifles. This obviously shows that Javed Ashraf was killed not by the police but by somebody else to fulfil his own ambitions. The Government holds Nawaz Sharif responsible for it and warns members of the Muslim Students Federation, young people and others not to allow themselves to be used by power hungry politicians for their ulterior motives.

SINGER CUP VICTORY

During general discussions, the Cabinet expressed pleasure at Pakistan's victory in the just concluded Singer Cup tournament at Singapore and extended congratulations to the team on its good performance. It expressed the hope that the team will earn more laurels for the country in future.-APP