ISLAMABAD: The federal government introduced additional amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law on Monday. These amendments were made through an ordinance signed by the acting president and Senate Chairman, Sadiq Sanjrani. The NAB law amendment now allows the accountability watchdog to detain suspects on grounds of ‘non-cooperation’.
In the notification, Mr. Sanjrani confirmed that he approved the prime minister’s advice mentioned in paragraph 6 of the summary. The notification further stated that the National Accountability Ordinance, 2023, had been signed and officially promulgated.
The ordinance also includes an extension of the duration of physical remand from 15 days to 30 days. This comes as a modification to a previous amendment by the current government, where the duration of physical remand had been reduced from 90 days to 14 days under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999.
Port and land authority
Meanwhile, the cabinet granted initial approval for the legislation concerning the establishment of the Pakistan Land Port Authority (PLPA). The purpose of this authority is to facilitate the efficient and timely movement of goods, people, and vehicles across international borders, thereby enhancing trade and improving transport logistics.
According to an official source, the proposed authority will have oversight over various facilities managed by multiple agencies at border points and other inland dry ports. Its primary responsibility will be to ensure coordinated management of the cross-border movement of goods and people.
Following the cabinet’s decision, it was directed that the draft legislation be forwarded to the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) after consultation with the commerce ministry.
The concept of a land port authority was initially proposed in 2012 by the PPP government. Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had given his preliminary approval for its establishment to address the lack of coordination, which had been causing delays in the flow of goods and passengers.
Concerns were raised at that time regarding potential delays due to bureaucratic hurdles. The matter also arose during the tenure of the PML-N government, which approved the establishment of the Land Port Authority in 2015 to oversee the movement of goods and people across borders. Previously, there were reports that the authority would become operational in February 2022.
Private security, HEC
In addition, the cabinet granted approval for a bill regarding the regulation of private security services. This bill aims to establish regulations and oversight for private security agencies and will be forwarded to the CCLC.
According to a source, the government plans to introduce a standardized uniform for private security guards that does not resemble the uniforms worn by the armed forces or other law enforcement agencies. The bill also emphasizes the importance of proper training and equipping of security guards. It prohibits guards from displaying weapons outside the premises they are responsible for guarding.
Furthermore, the cabinet granted approval for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) amendment bill, aiming to extend the term of the HEC chairman from two to three years. However, under the proposed law, the chairman would no longer hold the status of a federal minister as granted by the existing law. Previously, the term of the HEC chairman was four years but had been reduced to two years by the PTI government.
Additionally, the cabinet approved the transit of a World Food Programme container containing spare parts for its vehicles, allowing it to be transported from Karachi to Kabul. This decision was made to ensure the uninterrupted supply of food to Afghanistan.
During the cabinet meeting, a briefing was given on the solid waste management project for Islamabad, highlighting that tenders had been issued to engage renowned international companies under a long-term policy. The cabinet also granted approval for the solid waste management bill, which has been forwarded to the CCLC for further review.
IMF deal: a matter of concern
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his concern over the deal with the IMF, stating that it was not a matter of pride but rather a moment of concern. He emphasized that it only provided temporary relief and that the next government would need to implement substantial reforms for long-lasting change.
The prime minister acknowledged the importance of moving away from an imminent economic collapse but also highlighted the unsustainability of running the economy in its current state. He emphasized the need for concerted efforts from various institutions, operating within their respective domains, to collectively work towards pulling the country out of its economic challenges for at least 15 years.
Mr. Sharif commended General Asim Munir for his instrumental role in securing $3 billion from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He mentioned that as a result of the staff-level agreement and the $3 billion standby arrangement with the IMF, investor, and business community confidence was quickly being restored.
Standby arrangement
During the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif provided a briefing on the nine-month standby agreement his government recently reached with the IMF. He informed the ministers that the first installment from the IMF would be received in July. He also acknowledged China’s assistance to Pakistan before the deal, as they have done in the past.
The prime minister emphasized the significance of finalizing the deal with the IMF, stating that the situation would have been different otherwise. However, he expressed his hope that this would be the last IMF deal, though acknowledging the challenges associated with achieving that goal.
Mr. Sharif highlighted the financial burden imposed by state-owned enterprises such as Pakistan Steel Mills and PIA, which consume approximately Rs600 billion annually. He urged the cabinet members to utilize the remaining days of the government’s term to establish a policy framework that provides a roadmap and vision for future development.
The prime minister mentioned that the government’s ongoing efforts and prudent policies were starting to yield positive results, indicating the country’s economic revival. He pledged to continue the journey of economic stability and national development, drawing parallels to the achievements made under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, including the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, maintaining low inflation rates, achieving a growth rate of 6.1%, and keeping the policy rate at 6%.
