Cabinet approves national policy to prevent violent extremism

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Monday approved the National Prevention of Violent Extremism Policy 2024, following a recommendation by the Interior Ministry.

Addressing the federal cabinet meeting, Shehbaz Sharif said uncertainty and chaos as a result of recent protests in Islamabad adversely affected the Pakistan Stock Exchange with a decline of 3,000 points, but it bounced back, the next day after normalcy was restored to the capital.

The prime minister emphasised moving towards growth with a focused approach to bring progress to the GDP with economic stability. He called for working hard in various sectors to improve the economy, enhance exports, remittances, and production, strengthen local industry, create employment and develop Special Economic Zones.

Shehbaz said revenue collection has also recorded an increase as compared to the previous year as a result of enforcement.

He further said the government took utmost care while allowing the export of sugar to ensure the stability of prices in the local market. He said the sugar exports may earn foreign exchange worth $500 million. The prime minister also commended the role of the Pakistan Army in checking smuggling across Afghanistan, which also played a pivotal role in stabilising sugar prices in the local market. He also applauded the efforts of Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif and former Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique for the removal of the ban on PIA flights to Europe.

The federal cabinet also approved in principle a proposal for the establishment of the Islamabad Central Business District Development Authority. The cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Law and Justice and in light of the orders of the Honorable Sindh High Court, Karachi, approved the change in the limitations and jurisdiction of the Special Courts.

It also okayed the change in the jurisdiction of the Special Courts for Customs, Taxation and Anti-Smuggling, in Quetta and Khuzdar. It also approved the authorisation of Additional Sessions Judges and other relevant courts to hear cases under the Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act 2023, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Law and Justice and in light of the orders of the high courts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Islamabad, Sindh and Balochistan.

The federal cabinet approved the filing of a review petition against the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision of ban on the import of monosodium glutamate (Chinese salt known as Ajinomoto) on the recommendations of the Ministry of Commerce. This decision was taken in light of the report of a special committee of experts that declared monosodium glutamate safe for human health.

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Federal Education and Technical Training, the cabinet approved the renewal of the memoranda of understanding regarding Pakistan Chairs at the University of Cambridge, St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford, University of Jordan, Peking University China, and University of Heidelberg Germany.

It also approved the nomination of Dr Habib-ur-Rehman and Dr Kamran Ansari as subject experts in the Board of Governors of the Center of Excellence at the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore. It also approved the nominations of Dr Mumtaz Muhammad Shah and Dr Muhammad Ahmed Farooqi as subject experts in the Board of Governors at the Center of Excellence in Mineralogy at the University of Balochistan.

In a related development, the prime minister expressed his satisfaction with the progress in cooperation and investment projects between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and hailed the longstanding friendship between the two nations.

Chairing a review meeting, the prime minister highlighted that Pakistan’s collaboration with Saudi Arabia continued to grow across various sectors, underscoring the strategic partnership between the two countries. “Saudi Arabia has been a reliable partner in Pakistan’s challenging times, and we are committed to deepening this cooperation,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said.

The meeting also included a briefing on the remarkable progress of bilateral investments. It was briefed about the progress on bilateral cooperation in various fields in the second meeting of the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Joint Task Force held in November. It was informed that within a short period, both countries had signed 34 memorandums of understanding, seven of which have already been formalized into agreements. These agreements are valued at $560 million.

Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif will visit Riyadh on 3-4 December 2024 to participate in the “One Water Summit.” A joint initiative of Saudi Arabia, France, Kazakhstan, and the World Bank, the summit aims to promote global cooperation and a coherent international approach towards water resource management through high-level political commitments.

At the summit, PM Shehbaz Sharif will deliver a keynote address focusing on restoration, preservation, and adaptation in the context of freshwater resources and wetlands. He will also highlight steps being taken by Pakistan to promote water conservation, strengthen climate resilience, improve water quality, create livelihoods, and conserve biodiversity.

Shehbaz will also underline the importance of international cooperation to tackle the impact of climate-induced floods, erratic and extreme weather patterns, and heat stress on water resources and ecosystems. He will also call for meaningful international collaboration for sustainable water resource management. On the sidelines of the summit, the prime minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings and engagements.