The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif describing it as a “national vision” that aimed to evoke a coordinated response against militancy by various security agencies and the entire state.
“For this purpose, ongoing intelligence-based operations will be intensified rather than a new and organized armed operation,” he said, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. He said the campaign would aim to “decisively root out the remnants of terrorist elements, the criminal-terrorist nexus, and violent extremism from the country.”
He also stressed this would not entail a large-scale military operation requiring the displacement of local populations, one of the key criticisms levelled by opposition parties who have pledged to resist any efforts to launch a fresh military operation.
During his address to the cabinet, the prime minister further said no additional duties would be imposed on solar panels to ensure low-cost energy for every citizen. Reiterating the resolve to boost the country’s exports by promoting small and medium enterprises and withdrawing privileges from the elite, he maintained ensuring the economic protection of the common man and providing them equal opportunities were among the government’s priorities.
During its meeting, the cabinet was informed that bidding for the sale of PIA would be held in August, with the prime minister directing officials concerned to expedite the process and ensure transparency. The cabinet was also informed that the country had sufficient stocks of sugar to allow for export of surplus amounts. The prime minister warned the government would not tolerate any increase in the price of sugar and directed the formation of a committee halt exports if any such price hikes were observed.
Additionally, the federal cabinet approved, as a one-off on humanitarian grounds, the transit of a truck from Karachi to Kabul carrying spare parts of trucks on the commerce ministry’s recommendation and request from the World Food Program (WFP) of Afghanistan. It also approved the inking of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and extended until March 2025 the timeframe of an implementation committee on the immovable property of the late Ameer of Bahawalpur in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling and recommendation of the States and Frontier Regions Division.
The cabinet further approved the appointment of the Executive Director of the Frequency Allocation Board and the annual report of the National Economic Council for fiscal year 2022-23.