Federal Cabinet rejects removal of 20 suspects from ECL: Fawad Ch

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said that the Federal Cabinet has rejected recommendations of the Interior Ministry to remove names of twenty suspects from the exit control list (ECL) in the fake bank accounts case. Addressing a news briefing along with Minister for Statistics Khusro Bakhtiar about Federal Cabinet's decisions, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that the matter pertaining to inclusion of names on the ECL would be reviewed after receiving detailed judgement of the Supreme Court. Cabinet defers to remove name of Bilawal, Sindh CM The information minister said that Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah including 20 names not to be removed from the ECL immediately. Fawad said that the Ministry of Law informed the cabinet that the names of 172 people had been included in the ECL on the request of the joint investigation team (JIT). He also said that no formal or written verdict has yet been issued by the Supreme Court on the subject so any further proceedings about the ECL issue should be deferred for the time being. He mentioned that said since the list includes the names of several PPP big wigs and others who are directly involved in fake bank accounts and money laundering matters, the cabinet decided to constitute a committee to review the matter. He said that former president Asif ALi Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and Murad Ali Shah are the main character of  the JIT. The minister confirmed that the committee would be included Minister for Law and Justice Dr Muhammad Farogh Naseem, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Accountability Shahzad Akbar and the Interior Secretary Azam Suleman Khan. He said the cabinet decided that Supreme Court may also be approached for a review appeal on this count after receiving a report from the concerned committee on the ECL issue. Cabinet expresses satisfaction countries’ exports Fawad Chaudhry said the cabinet noted with satisfaction that the countries’ exports increased by 4.5 percent during the month of December while the trade deficit reduced up to five hundred forty million dollars, having a very pleasant impact on the national economy. He said it was the outcome of PM Khan and his economic team's extensive and prudent efforts to deal with the current account and fiscal deficit issues with the active support of friendly countries. He said government's efforts to boost exports and reduce imports have also been fruitful. Ease of doing business to foreign and local investors He said government is also endeavoring to provide ease of doing business to the foreign and local investors to promote economic activities and create jobs. PM directs to provide negative category list about overseas Pakistanis The minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the Law Ministry to provide him the negative category list about overseas Pakistanis within forty eight hours, enabling the government to take a policy decision at the earliest to provide all possible facilities to those expatriates who want to bring investment in different sectors in Pakistan. Petroleum directed to address gas shortage problem Fawad Chaudhry said the Ministry of Petroleum was directed to come out with a comprehensive plan to address the gas shortage problem in the country. He also said the cabinet regretted that the gas worth fifty billion rupees is being pilfered annually from the system and the previous government took no remedial measures to address this alarming situation. Propaganda about price hike of different essential commodities Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar rejected the opposition parties’ baseless propaganda about the price hike of different essential commodities. Inflation rate remained just point four percent Quoting the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the minister said the inflation in PPP's first five months rule was registered at 11.2 percent and in PML-N's tenure it was four percent while in PTI's first five months the inflation rate remained just point four percent. Coordinated price control mechanism Khusro Bakhtiar said the premier directed to evolve a coordinated price control mechanism at the federal and provincial levels to check profiteering and hoarding. He said that the prime minister also directed to provide all possible relief to the low income segments of the society as per PTI's election manifesto.