On Thursday, the Federal Cabinet approved a proposal from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs mandating that 50 percent of all government imports, including wheat, sugar, and fertilizer, be routed through Gwadar Port.
This decision follows directives from the Prime Minister to enhance operations at Gwadar Port to boost the development and prosperity of Balochistan. The Prime Minister had also instructed that 50 percent of public sector imports should be processed through this port.
The cabinet, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, also decided to increase the volume of exports from Gwadar Port. A sub-committee will be established to provide quarterly reports on the port’s import and export activities.
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Additionally, the Ministry of Industries and Production reported positively on sugar exports, noting that the timely decisions had stabilized sugar prices and provided fair compensation to sugarcane farmers.
The cabinet approved the reconstitution of the Board of Directors for the Korangi Fish Harbour Authority, as recommended by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs. It was also decided that all provinces should have representation on such government boards and that incomplete boards of government-owned corporations should be fully constituted promptly.
The cabinet, based on the Ministry of National Health Services’ recommendation, appointed Muhammad Yaqoob, Assistant Director of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, as the Federal Inspector Drug for Balochistan.
Following a recommendation from the Planning Ministry, the cabinet approved an amendment to the Cabinet Resolution of October 30, 2013, adjusting the salary structure for Planning Commission members. Under the amendment, their salaries will now fall under the Special Professional Pay Scale-II (SPPS-II) rather than the Management Pay Scale. The salary for the Chief Economist of the Planning Commission, appointed from the open market, will be set under Special Professional Pay Scale-I (SPPS-I).
The cabinet also approved the Federal Public Service Commission to conduct departmental promotion exams for Inspector Inland Revenue (BPS-16) posts, in accordance with Supreme Court orders. The decisions made in the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting on August 29, 2024, and the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises meeting on September 2, 2024, were also ratified.
