Cabinet approves Hajj policy, lifts ban on gas connections

• Nawaz-led meeting decides to outsource three major airports
• Govt likely to facilitate low income groups in housing sector

The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved the Haj Policy 2017, lifting of moratorium on new gas connections and execution of development schemes.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, chairing a meeting of the cabinet here at the PM Office, directed that maximum facilities be provided to the pilgrims. He also appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Religious Affairs for making good arrangements for the pilgrims last year.

However, he directed to again work out the Haj expenses and present revised rates in the next cabinet meeting. The cabinet lifted moratorium on new gas connections, following a green signal from the Cabinet Committee on Energy. The cabinet also approved execution of gas development schemes, initiated during the present government.

Discussing problems related to housing sector, Nawaz said the government would facilitate the low income groups in housing sector in view of growing urbanisation. He said that the urbanisation was increasing at a rapid pace due to the development activities and there was a need to cater to the demands in housing sector.

Minister for Planning Dr Ahsan Iqbal gave a detailed presentation on the subject and showed various housing models for low and middle income population groups. He apprised the prime minister about the issues related to the housing sector including governance and finance, connectivity and planning, land and housing, resilience to natural disasters and effects of climate change.

It was agreed to constitute a cabinet sub-committee comprising minister housing (chair), planning, railways and SAFRON ministers, representatives of the State Bank and the National Bank to work out detailed plan on housing within 10 days and present it in the next cabinet meeting

The cabinet also approved a policy to outsource the management of the country’s three major airports along the lines of a public-private partnership. “This is the policy that was approved by the Civil Aviation Authority in 2015,” State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said while briefing the media following the cabinet meeting.

By including private companies in the public sector, the management of the airports will be outsourced, she said, adding that Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad’s international airports would be the first to be tackled by this change in policy. She explained that the policy made clear that the roles of operation, management and maintenance will be separate from the regulator.

“Airports across the world are regulated by organisations such as the Civil Aviation Authority and managed by the private companies,” she maintained. “There are different operations of public-private partnerships. Under these models, not only have management and maintenance been outsourced to private companies, but also if a private company wants to build an airport they will be facilitated,” she said. -OBAID ABBASI