GILGIT, May 19 (APP): The Gilgit Baltistan Council Thursday gave approval to the much-awaited policies to promote tourism, enhance the forest cover in Gilgit Baltistan and discourage illegal tree cutting.

The working plan of the timber policy was presented by GB’s Secretary Forest, Sajjad Haider in the Council session held here under the chair of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif as chairman council.

Besides taking up other agenda items, the House also approved the Council’s annual budget for fiscal year 2015-16 with a total outlay of Rs 831.925 million.

ISLAMABAD, May 19, (APP): Member National Assembly (MNA) of PML-N, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Thursday hoped that the consensus on accountability system would be developed soon like all political stakeholders agreed on elections reforms.

Talking to newsmen outside the Parliament House, he said the politicians who were hurling allegations against his party leadership were found involved in Panama scandal.

Those people, he was of the view that now wanted to run from their accountability.

ISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP): The National Assembly on Thursday passed the Special Economic Zones (Amendment), Bill, 2016 aimed at making the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) regime more investment and business friendly and encourage development of SEZs in vaiours parts of the country.

State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed moved the bill to further amend the Special Economic Zones Act, 2012 [The Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2016] in the House.

“The statement of objects and reasons says that Special Economic Zones Act, 2012 was promulgated to encourage industrial infrastructure in the country. The purpose was to facilitate domestic and foreign investors to invest in manufacturing sectors of Pakistan offering them special exemptions and inventive leading to reduced cost of doing business with efficient infrastructure.”

ISLAMABAD, May 19(APP) Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab said Thursday presently there were a total of 75 total plazas built on national highways, collecting Rs 96,376.11 million from financial year 2001-01 to 2015-2016 across the country.

Answering a question in the Senate, the minister said the total toll plazas included 65 manual and added the length of National Highway Authority (NHA) network had gradually increased from 8,690 km (year 2000) to 12,131 km at present.

He said the NHA was maintaining 33 national highways, motorways, strategic roads.

ISLAMABAD, May 19 (APP) British High Commission to Islamabad Thomas Drew Thursday thanked Pakistan for extraditing of Mohammad Zubair who was accused of double murder in the United Kingdom.

“I am delighted that the hard work of the Pakistani authorities, West Yorkshire police and at the British High Commission has paid off.

The first extradition from Pakistan to the UK for ten years is an important achievement, and shows the value of British-Pakistani cooperation,” said Drew according a statement of the British High Commission issued here.

ISLAMABAD, May 18 (APP): Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar Wednesday said that matter of inclusion of MQM representative in Parliamentary committee would be resolved soon as the government gives regard to the mandate of MQM.

Talking to a private news channel, he said no member from MQM was included in six members list for the said committee by the opposition but the government have contacted them to sought out the matter.

He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was ready to present himself first for the accountability on Panama papers if the commission asked him.