- CCI discusses net hydel profit, water policy, LNG import and other outstanding issues
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday chaired a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Besides presentation of the provisional report of the sixth Population and Housing Census, carried out from March 15 to May 24, 2017, matters pertaining to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and similar bodies in post-18th amendment scenario were also discussed during the meeting.
Prime Minister Abbasi appreciated efforts of the army, law enforcing agencies, police, district administration and staff of Pakistan Bureau of Statics (PBS) for completing the census 2017. He also lauded the sacrifices of the martyrs of Lahore blast and 10 enumerators who lost their lives during the census operation.
The prime minister urged the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics’ staff and the Ministry of Statistics to ensure early completion of the final figures so that economic and social planning of the country can be brought to scientific footing.
The prime minister emphasised the need for greater efforts by all the provinces towards standardisation and improvement of infrastructure of the educational institution so as to improve the quality of higher education and to bring it at par with the international standards.
Inquiry into corruption charges of the Kacchi Canal was also discussed by the council. The prime minister observed that transparency and accountability should be strictly ensured in all the public projects. He directed that implementation report into the findings of the inquiry be completed by September 15 and presented before next CCI meeting.
Other outstanding issues between the provinces including net hydel profit, National Water Policy and import of the Liquidified Natural Gas (LNG) were also discussed during the meeting.
POLIO ERADICATION: Later on, Prime Minister Abbasi also chaired a meeting of the National Task Force on Polio Eradication and said that even a single case of polio should be taken seriously and no effort should be spared to ensure complete eradication of the disease from the country.
He said that high mobility rates and existence of polio reservoirs across the border were among the major challenges facing complete elimination of polio. But “we are fully determined to overcome them,” he said. Briefing the meeting about the progress on polio eradication efforts, Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said that the polio incidents had been significantly reduced.
Only three cases had been reported in 2017 so far, she said, adding that 38 million children were vaccinated during previous campaign and the Independent Monitoring Board had termed Pakistan’s polio eradication program as one of the best efforts in the world.
The meeting was informed that no polio case had been reported from FATA since July 2016. Similarly, Karachi and interior Sindh have also remained polio free since February 2016 and November 2016 respectively.
Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar informed the meeting that an emergency programme was initiated in 2013 and that potential areas including Karachi, Quetta and rural Balochistan were being especially focused on so as to ensure that the virus was effectively checked and eliminated.
Prime Minister Abbasi appreciated the role played by provincial governments, FATA administration and governments of Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan in implementation of the National Polio Eradication programme.
He stressed that routine immunisation for polio should be further strengthened and assured full cooperation from the federal government. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, AJK Prime Minister Farooq Haider, the GB chief minister and representatives of Punjab and Balochistan also briefed the meeting and expressed their full commitment to the programme.
The meeting was also attended by Technical Advisory Group Chairman Dr Jean Marc Olive, UNICEF Country Representative Angela Kearny, UNICEF team leader Dr John Agbor and other representatives of international organisations were also present during the meeting.
