–Cabinet also discusses changes to Prisons Correction Act and Sindh Public Procurement Authority
KARACHI: The Sindh provincial cabinet on Monday approved the establishment of the Sindh Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) for management and disposal of properties that included educational institutions, different trusts, agriculture land, health facilities, temples and gurdwaras vacated due to migration in 1947, 1965 and 1971.
Briefing reporters about the decisions taken by the Sindh cabinet, CM’s Adviser on Information Murtaza Wahab said that the cabinet has approved Sindh Evacuee Trust Properties (Management & Disposal) Act and formed a three-member committee headed by Sindh Minister for Minorities Affairs Hari Ram Kishori Lal and comprising Sindh Excise Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla and him to table it in the Sindh Assembly within three days for approval.
He said that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has directed the local government minster to ensure cleanliness in the city after rain and ensure the free flow of traffic on the roads.
Wahab said that Sindh Prisons Correction Act, 2018 was also discussed in the meeting which aimed at transforming prisons into reform centers/homes and in this regard a three-member cabinet committee has been formed comprising Sindh Prisons Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Minister Energy Imtiaz Shaikh and Secretary Home Qazi Kabeer to review and finalise it within seven days for tabling in Sindh Assembly for approval.
He said that the Act was meant to provide healthy environment to female prisoners in jails and ensuring prisons’ access to health facilities.
He added that imparting technical education to prisoners was also included in the Act so that hardened criminals are transformed into useful citizens. He elaborated that training of jail police was also focused in the act, adding that existing jail rules were more than a century old which needed improvements.
The provincial adviser said that Sindh cabinet has also worked on Occupational Safety & Health Council Act and directed labour department secretary to present it in the cabinet after further improvements.
He said that the cabinet was briefed that Nooriabad Power Plant was established in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode with 49% shares of Sindh government and 61% of private company with the plant having earned a profit of Rs6.62 billion.
Wahab said that an item related to the nomination of a member of the general public from Sindh in Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was discussed and a suitable person will be nominated over the matter.
Wahab said that amendment in STEVTA Act 2010 has also been approved and as per the amendment, a minister, adviser, a special assistant or nominee of Sindh CM will be the chairman of STEVTA. Before the amendment, he said that only a minister could be the chairman of STEVTA .
Amendment in Section 26 of Sindh Local government Act, 2013 has also been approved. Previously, a mayor, deputy mayor, chairman or vice chairman was required to send a resignation letter to the council but after the amendment, the letter would be sent to the concerned administrative department.
Amendments to Sindh Public Procurement (SPPRA), 2010 and few technical definitions and terms of quorum were improved and defined as well.
Further, old vehicles are to be auctioned off with and the CM has expressed concerns about the misuse of Singh government number plates on vehicles.
The Sindh CM also directed the chief secretary Sindh to discuss the issue of creating new graveyards in the city in the next cabinet meeting.
Wahab further informed that the Sindh cabinet also approved three new official members for the Fishermen Cooperative Society in place of secretary law, secretary fisheries and secretary cooperative department.
Murtaza Wahab also condemned the alleged “encounter” incident in Sahiwal, adding that a checks and balance system was important.
To a question, he said that Sindh government has no intention to curtail the IGP’s powers and added that independence and accountability was ensured in the new Sindh Police Act.