ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved the extension of licenses of 86 foreign pilots who are currently employed in Pakistan for the past two years.
This decision was taken after the recommendations of the Cabinet Division in a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. According to a press release from the media wing of the Prime Minister’s Office, the cabinet also approved the three-year license endorsement for foreign pilots recruited in 2025.
Officials told the meeting that in recent years, the Covid-19 outbreak and restrictions on Pakistani pilots forced local airlines to hire foreign pilots. The recommendations of the Cabinet Division will be implemented after completion of legal proceedings.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also said that the new opening of Gwadar International Airport will benefit not only Balochistan but also the economy of Pakistan.
While presiding over the federal cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the airport was built with a Chinese grant of 230 million dollars, adding that the airport is a gift from China to Pakistan and we should respect it.
The Prime Minister declared Gwadar Airport as a gift from China. Committee formed under the chairmanship of Khawaja Asif to review Tosha Khana Act 2024
Creating obstacles in the completion of Gwadar Port is also hostility towards Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif added that the enemies of Pakistan do not want [the] Operationalization of Gwadar Port.
Important decisions
The Prime Minister also formed a committee under the chairmanship of Defense Minister Khawaja Asif to review it. Tosha Khana Act 2024The aim is to introduce more transparency in the system.
The Cabinet also approved rules for the appointment of the Chairman and members of the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority based on the recommendations of the Cabinet Division.
Amendments to the Rules of Business 1973 were also approved, the responsibility for the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 was transferred from the Ministry of IT and Telecom to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Cabinet approved the appointment of Dr. Amar Habib Khan as Finance Member of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Appellate Tribunal based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif directed to form a committee to speed up the restructuring process of Utility Stores Corporation and to improve the monitoring mechanism.
He also emphasized the need for a new strategy to ensure access to the beneficiaries of the Prime Minister’s relief package.
The Cabinet approved the decisions taken during the Economic Coordination Committee meetings held on January 6 and 17.
Published in Dawn, December 22, 2024.
