News Desk
The Federal Cabinet has decided to approve in principle the Anti-rape (investigation and trial) Ordinance and Pakistan Penal Code(Amendment) Ordinance 2020. The Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed to the Law Ministry to finalize provisions of the proposed Ordinance.
According to media reports, the Federal Cabinet has taken the decision in the meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair. The details of the meeting has been given by the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz in a press conference after the meeting.
Senator Shibli Faraz has said that the acts of gang-rape has also been inserted in the proposed law in which harsh punishments, including death penalty, have been suggested to give exemplary sentences to the offenders of rape. He said the law will be a deterrent against incidents of rape.
The Information Minister further stated that the Cabinet approved in principle the establishment of a Special Technology Zones Authority to promote technology in the country. He said Special technology zones will be set up initially in Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore and Haripur.
Shibli Faraz has said that the Cabinet also approved the establishment of these zones in Karachi and Quetta. He said that the Economic Affairs Division informed the Cabinet that at present the repayment of 1.7 billion dollars to 2 billion dollars of loans taken during the period of May to December this year has been extended by the G-20 countries.
The Secretary Economic Affairs Division has been authorized by the Cabinet to enter into agreements for debt rescheduling with 16 G-20 countries.
The Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Hammad Azhar has said on the occasion that the government imported around 1,25,000 tons of sugar due to which a decline of 10 to 12 rupees per kg at the ex-mill price of the commodity has been witnessed in last ten days.
Hammad Azhar said the imported sugar is being provided at the rate of around 81 rupees per kg at facilitation centers in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, whereas the commodity is available at 4000 Utility Stores, across Pakistan at 68 rupees per kg.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Khusro Bakhtiar said prices of wheat flour has been showing declining trend for last ten days bringing down prices of the commodity from 2,400 to 2,200 rupees per 40 kilogrammes.
Khusro Bakhtiar said this year there was a shortage of wheat production in the country due to bad weather conditions, which resulted in deficiency of 2.2 million metric tons, which is being fulfilled by importing wheat from other countries.
“The government has also increased the support price for wheat and fixed the new rate of 1,650 rupees per 40 kg to give due return to farmers as well,” he added.
