Cabinet extends stay of Afghan refugees for one year
Pakistan
The extension in the POR cards has been granted till 30th June next year
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Pakistan has granted one-year extension in the stay of registered Afghan refugees.
The approval was made in the federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The cabinet approved a one-year extension of Proof Of Registration (POR) cards for 1.45 million Afghan refugees legally residing in the country and whose POR cards expired last month. The extension in the POR cards has been granted till 30th June next year.
Earlier, the federal cabinet has approved abolishing of Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD).
Under the approved plan, Asset and Facility Management Company will be established to continue maintenance and repair works assigned previously to the Pak PWD. Its staff will be transferred to respective ministries after the implementation of grading and Golden Handshake Scheme.
Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company will be established to supervise the federal development projects while all provincial development projects under supervision of the federal government will be handed over to the relevant provincial institutions.
The cabinet directed that the entire transition process should be completed within two weeks.
The cabinet was briefed about progress made by the committee chaired by finance minister to reduce the size of government.
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It was told that basic information is being obtained for right-sizing of essential institutions and closure of unnecessary subsidiary institutions of different ministries including Information Technology, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, States and Frontier Regions, Industries and Production and National Health Services.
The meeting was told that this process will be completed till Friday and based on the information, the committee will formulate proposals in consultation with the ministries concerned and submit them to the cabinet by the first week of next month.
Moreover, the cabinet allowed the Election Commission of Pakistan to establish its provincial headquarters at the Federal Lodge-II Peshawar.
The cabinet also approved the termination of the status of Bahawalpur Medical College from 19th April 2024 due to non-compliance with the requirements of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. Students studying in this institution will be transferred to other medical colleges in the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered to conduct an inquiry that how the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council permitted the Bahawalpur Medical College to continue its educational activities despite not fulfilling the requirements.
The prime minister instructed to operationalize all the dysfunctional or incomplete boards of all the state institutions by appointing individuals of good professional repute within two weeks.
