By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet is likely to grant an exemption for the development of the Darbar Kartarpur Sahib Corridor project through the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Ordinance, 2002.
According to sources, the federal cabinet, which will meet on Tuesday, will take up 13 agenda points, including the granting of the aforementioned exemption under Section 11 of the PPRA Ordinance.
The Kartarpur corridor is a new entry point giving access to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Punjab. It is located 4.5km from the Indian border. It is one of the holiest places for Sikhs, where Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji settled and preached for last 18 years of his life and is his last resting place also.
Earlier, India and Pakistan had signed a deal under which both countries will allow pilgrims from India to visit one of Sikhism’s holiest shrines in Pakistan without a visa.
Moreover, the cabinet will also take up summaries of commerce, cabinet, railways, federal education and professional training, finance, foreign affairs, national food security and research, national health services, and regulations and coordination divisions.
Therein, the cabinet will take a decision regarding a proposal on the establishment of a centralized database for the collection of information related to essential food commodities.
The meeting would also take a decision on the composition of the board of Joint Investment Companies (JIC) and the delegation of powers to the Strategic Export Control Division. Likewise, the cabinet will consider the appointment of members of the Board of Governors under the Federal Medical Training Institutes Ordinance, 2020.
The cabinet may grant permission on the shipment of 10 armoured vehicles, including spare parts, arrived under bill of Lading SPRJO1388424 and No. SPRJO 1406659. These vehicles are part of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Furthermore, the appointment of National Insurance Company Limited chief executive officer (CEO) will be ratified. The decision for the appointment was taken during the cabinet meetings held on January 12, 2021, and March 16, 2021.
Similarly, it is expected that there will be ratification of the decisions taken by the cabinet committee on institutional reforms (CCIR) in its meeting held on March 31, 2021, and ratification of the decision taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) in its meeting held on April 4, 2021.
