The federal cabinet, which is scheduled to meet on Wednesday (tomorrow) with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the chair, will approve Hajj Policy Plan-2017, amendment in the recruitment policy to ensure merit-based fresh recruitment and lifting of moratorium on gas connections, well informed source told Business Recorder.

Ministry of Religious Affairs, sources said, prepared Hajj Policy and Plan 2017 in consultation with all stakeholders and had it approved by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif before presenting it to the federal cabinet. According to sources, the cabinet which is meeting after months will also discuss the political environment in the country.

Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms will gave a detailed presentation on Housing sector of the country along with present and future requirements. The Prime Minister has already directed the concerned Ministry to prepare plans to provide less expensive houses. The cabinet will also discuss a proposal from Aviation Division regarding outsourcing of airports and miscellaneous facilities in Pakistan.

Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Co-ordination has submitted a proposal for rules of bar-coding of different stents after a mega scandal involving the procurement of substandard stents. Cabinet Division has submitted a proposal to amend Rules of Business, 1973.

The other proposals to be approved by the federal cabinet are as follows: (i) technical cooperation between Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) and Sultan Qaboos University; (ii) approval in principle to negotiate draft MoU on defence cooperation between GoP and Kenya; (iii) approval for signing of statement of intent in the field of research and cooperative activities between Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Switzerland and National Defence University Pakistan; (iv) visa abolition agreements with Cuba, Jordan and Bulgaria; (v) Ratification of MoU between NAB and Ministry of Supervision of China in area of anti corruption; ;(vi) confirmation of decisions taken by the Economic Co-ordination Committee(ECC) of the Cabinet on February 13, 2017, February 22, 2017, March 2,2017, March 28, 2017, March 22, 2017; and (vii) ratification of the cabinet to the recommendations of the Cabinet Committee on Disposal of Legislative case of April 10, 2017.

The sources said, the issue of transfer of regulatory bodies to the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Co-ordination will be submitted to the Council of Common Interests (CCI). Recently, Islamabad High Court (IHC) has turned down government's decision to transfer regulatory bodies like, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), PTA, PPRA and PEMRA etc to the concerned Ministries. The government is expected to attach regulatory bodies with Ministry of Inter-Provincial Co-ordination. There is also a proposal to set up a permanent secretariat of Council of Common Interests (CCI) and attach regulatory bodies with it.-Business Recorder