ISLAMABAD: Federal government has decided to conduct a pilot digit census before starting the 7th census in the country. The pilot digital census will enable the government to evaluate the credibility of the first digital census to be conducted in next 18 months in Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the meeting of the cabinet.
The federal cabinet which met on Sept 21 considered the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on conducting the next (seventh) census in the country along with other agenda items. The recommendations state that the census will be conducted in accordance with UN principles.
This will be the first digital census. In this regard, a pilot census will be conducted first to check the procedures and tools. There will be real time GIS digital monitoring, National Census Coordination Center will be set up. Involvement of all stakeholders will be ensured, integrated media strategy will be formulated in the context of census awareness campaign. Comprehensive security arrangements will be ensured.
The questionnaire for the census will be simplified, the field operation procedure will be comprehensive. Census workers will be trained. A post-census survey will be conducted to validate the census results. In this regard, it was decided to take up the matter with the Cabinet again after further consideration of issues related to the conduct of the census.
The cabinet was briefed regarding introduction of electronic voting machine (EVM) and empowerment of Overseas Pakistanis to vote.
The Cabinet approved a one-time waiver in the rules of Import Policy Order regarding the release of shipments sent from Saudi Arabia at the request of World Food Program.
In order to bring Pakistan Post in line with modern requirements and to expand its scope, the Cabinet approved amendments to the relevant sections of the Rules of Business.
The Cabinet also approved the appointment of three Independent Directors to expand the Board of Directors of Postal Life Insurance Company Limited. They include Ms. Farzin Khan, Mr. Naeem Akhtar Sheikh and Mr. Akif Saeed.
The Cabinet approved the appointment of Syed Rafeo Bashir Shah (Commerce and Trade Group BS21) as Chairman Trading Corporation of Pakistan.
The Cabinet approved the appointment of Sarwar Iqbal as a member of Board of Directors of National Bank of Pakistan.
Under Section 7 (b) of the Controller General of Accounts Ordinance 2001, the combined Financial Statement of the Federation, Provinces and Districts was submitted to the Cabinet by the Controller General of Accounts for the financial year 2019-20.
The Cabinet also approved a 44% increase in the existing ceiling in the house rent of Grade 1 to 22 employees to provide relief to the federal employees in view of the existing rents of houses in major cities.
The Cabinet also approved to hire the services of M / s KPMG Taseer Hadi and Co. to audit the accounts of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for the financial year 2020-21.
The cabinet approved the inclusion of Uzbekistan in the business visa list, especially in order to further strengthen relations with Uzbekistan and facilitate the business community. Under current law, countries on the business visa list are issued multiple entry visas for five years by Pakistani embassies within 24 hours.
In the light of directions of Islamabad High Court, the Cabinet issued directives to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regarding misuse of social media and removal of objectional material in the light of IHC directions.
The cabinet decided to import films from regional countries and allow them to be screened in cinemas to revive the country’s cinema and film industry.
The Cabinet approved the budget of Jammu and Kashmir State Property for the financial year 2021-22 (amounting to Rs. 190.383 million).
The Cabinet also approved the setting up of Alternate Dispute Resolution Center in Islamabad for family cases . The Cabinet was informed that the success rate of ADR is 75% in the United States and 80% in the United Kingdom.
The Cabinet approved the use of Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (NOPV2) for polio eradication in the country.
The cabinet was informed that only one polio case has been reported in the country in last seven months. This is a great achievement against polio.
The cabinet approved the appointment of Asim Rauf as chief executive officer (CEO) of Drug Regulatory Authority for three months.
The Cabinet approved the appointment of Syed Nadeem Hussain Rizvi (Inland Revenue Service, BS21) as Member Adjudicating Authority.
The Cabinet decided that persons with conflicting interests should not be members of the Standing Committees. A request would be made to the Chairman Senate and the Speaker National Assembly in this regard.
The Cabinet ratified the decisions taken at the September 15, 2021 meeting of the Economic Co-ordination Committee. These decisions included technical supplementary grant of Rs. 500 million for ERRA, cash support for PIA, supply of wheat to Azad Jammu and Kashmir for the financial year 2021-22, Rabi season 2021-22 urea fertilizer requirements.
The Minister for National Food Security briefed the Cabinet on the improvement in the agriculture sector, especially in cotton. There is an increase of about 20% in the production of kharif crops.
