The federal cabinet on the recommendation of the interior ministry approved the National Prevention of Violent Extremism Policy 2024.

Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif established a task force to identify the people involved in spreading “chaos and violence” in Islamabad earlier this week and take strict action against them.

Moreover, the cabinet authorised the government to file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s decision to ban on the import of Monosodium glutamate (Ajinomoto) commonly known as Chinese salt.

The decision was made based on the recommendation of the commerce ministry and in line with the report of the experts’ special committee that was formed to monitor the impacts of Monosodium glutamate on human health.

The report had termed the Monosodium glutamate “safe for human health.” The committee was comprised of representatives from Pakistan Scientific and Industrial Research, National Agriculture Research Center, National University of Sciences and Technology, Institute of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Federal Ministry of National Food Safety and Research, Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority and Board of Investment.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over the meeting.

In addition, the cabinet also approved in principle the proposal of the interior ministry with respect to the establishment of Islamabad Central Business District Development Authority.

The cabinet, on the proposal of the Ministry of Education and Professional Training also gave a go-ahead to the renewal of the memoranda of understanding with respect to the University of Cambridge, Saint Antony’s College University of Oxford, University of Jordan, Pecking University China, University of Hydal Berg, and Pakistan Chairs in Germany.

The federal cabinet, on the proposal of the Ministry of Law and Justice and in line with Sindh High Court orders approved the amendment in the jurisdiction of special courts.

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Law and Justice and in line with Balochistan High Court orders, the cabinet also approved amendments in the jurisdiction of special courts (customs, taxation and anti-smuggling) Quetta and Khuzdar.

Similarly, on proposals of the Ministry of Law and Justice and in line with orders of the Peshawar High Court, Lahore High Court, Islamabad High Court, Sindh High Court, and Balochistan High Court, the cabinet authorised the additional session judges and other relevant courts to hear the cases under lawyers welfare and protection act 2023.

Earlier, PM Shehbaz appreciated his economic teams’ performance saying that the country’s economy was on “track to progress” amid stringent clampdown on smuggling, plummeting inflation and doubled revenue collection that helped improve the eroding economy.

“Today the inflation rate is at 70 months’ lowest level of 4.9 per cent [which was at 7.2 per cent in October 2024] which is beyond imagination and due to the teamwork and blessings of the Almighty,” he said while addressing the federal cabinet meeting.

PM Shehbaz reiterated that the protests held previously caused huge economic and property losses to the nation. “Pakistan Stock Exchange also crashed from its highest trading level but after de-escalation of the situation at D-Chowk it bounced back and mitigated the previous losses,” he said.

He also noted that the government had managed to maintain more revenue collection than the previous year. He noted that enforcement was the only tool in the short term to ensure revenue collection.

The prime minister underlined that smuggling had gone to zero due to the Pakistan Army’s “complete enforcement and support” as previously there were multiple law enforcement agencies on the borders but the stringent regime remained an uphill task for them.