Cabinet to form panel to review ban on TLP

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved the formation of a committee to review the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) request to lift the ban on it, after which it would present its recommendations to the cabinet, information minister Fawad Chaudhry has said.

Chaudhry, addressing a news conference along with planning minister Asad Umar on Tuesday, briefed the media about decisions taken in the cabinet meeting held here. The committee will comprise officials of the interior ministry.

Last month, the proscribed TLP approached the Ministry of Interior to lift the ban imposed on it after it was outlawed on April 15, 2021, following violent protests across the country which left hundreds of policemen injured and several killed. A number of policemen were taken hostage, allegedly tortured, and subsequently released after several rounds of talks between the TLP and the government.

The government had imposed the ban on the organisation under the anti-terrorism law, with interior minister Sheikh Rashid saying at the time the decision was taken at the Punjab government’s request. Following the ban, over 100 members of the TLP were placed on the fourth schedule list by the Punjab home department.

Among the other decisions, the federal cabinet approved a special CPEC business visa to facilitate Chinese investment in the country, Radio Pakistan reported. Chaudhry said that would enable Chinese investors to get their visas within 48 hours and get security clearance in 30 days.

Chaudhry said the cabinet appreciated the economic team for steering the country towards stability despite the challenge posed by Covid-19 and the “flawed policies” of previous regimes.

He also said overseas voters were an important agenda of the government’s electoral reforms and urged the election commission to take immediate steps to bring them into our electoral process.

With regard to electronic voting machines, the minister said they were being “appreciated” by different segments of society, including bar associations. He added the Rawalpindi Bar Council wants to introduce such machines in their upcoming elections.

The cabinet also appreciated improvement in the relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia as it will be beneficial for Muslim Ummah. The Prime Minister also said to have appreciated Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi for successfully raising the Palestine issue at international forums. The minister said the cabinet accorded approval to Cantonment Board Elections and directed the Ministry of Defence to make all arrangements in that regard. The cabinet also gave approval to a new board of directors of Pakistan Television. The Secretary Information will be the chairperson of PTV’s new board, while Director General Radio Pakistan has also been included in its members.

Giving details of positive economic indicators, Minister for Planning Asad Umar said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policy of protecting lives and livelihoods during Covid-19 “has saved our economy from an expected loss contrary to the neighbouring economies”. He said according to the figures provided by National Accounts Committee, “we are expecting more than 3.5 per cent growth rate”.

Counting on factors that contributed positively in the country’s economy, he said Prime Minister’s Ehsaas Program and incentivised policies for construction sector played a major role in putting the country’s economy on right track.

He said this year; the country witnessed record production of wheat, sugar, rice and maize that helped increase wholesale trade, which is directly linked to positive growth of economy. The minister said loans received by private sectors for direct investment have increased by 126 per cent that boosted small enterprises while large scale manufacturing recorded 9 per cent growth. He expressed hope that with all these indicators the country’ economy would move from stability to development.