ISLAMABAD, Jan 24 (APP):Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Thursday said a Police Act similar to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be introduced in Punjab after necessary amendments in order to avoid occurrence of Sahiwal like incidents.
Biefing media here outside the Parliament House about Federal Cabinet meeting, he said as many as 100 model police stations would be set up across Punjab so that better policing services could be provided to the citizens.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the meeting, attended by the Punjab chief minister along with other provincial officials.
He said the prime minister had directed that the responsible for Sahiwal tragedy would be brought to justice.
The minister said reforms in Punjab would be initiated for capacity building of police and changing police culture in the province.
He said for the first time, significant changes would be brought in the visa regime. The details of it, would be shared in the next two days. The new visa regime would be beneficial for businessmen, journalists and expatriate Pakistanis and would have an impact on the tourism industry in the country, he added.
The cabinet gave the go ahead for establishment of Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMRA), for which consultation would be held with all stakeholders including the journalist bodies to make the authority acceptable for everyone.
Fawad said Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had started preparatory work accordingly.
He said new members of Complaint Councils of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in Punjab and Balochistan had been appointed.
He said the Finance Bill introduced in the National Assembly would have a positive impact on the business activities.
He said the speaker would coordinate with the opposition for appointment of new members of the Election Commission.
The cabinet had also approved increase of 10 percent in the pension given by Employees Old Age Benefit Institution while the grant of $58 million for Pakistan Mortgage Finance Company was also approved, he added.
He said Rs5 billion revolving fund for grant of easy loans was set up through the finance bill so that low income groups could build houses.
He said the government wanted to provide low-cost housing units to shelterless people.
The minister, expressing his dissatisfaction, said the prime minister directed to expedite the process to merge Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority in the National Disaster Management Authority. The cabinet had approved the decisions of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), he added.
To a question, he said the Senate Committee on Interior did not give recommendations about the names on exit control list.
