Pakistani Federal Cabinet approves National Prevention of Violent Extremism Policy 2024

The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved multiple policies and initiatives in its latest meeting on Monday, including the National Prevention of Violent Extremism Policy 2024 and the establishment of the Islamabad Central Business District Development Authority on the recommendation of the Ministry of Interior.

The cabinet endorsed the Ministry of Commerce’s proposal to file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s decision to lift the ban on monosodium glutamate (MSG). The decision follows findings by an expert committee, which deemed MSG safe for human consumption. The committee included representatives from national research institutions and the Ministry of National Food Safety.

The cabinet approved the renewal of Memoranda of Understanding with several prestigious institutions, including the University of Cambridge, Saint Antony’s College at the University of Oxford, and Peking University, China.

In addition, the nominations of Dr. Habib ur Rehman and Dr. Kamran Ansari as subject experts for the Board of Governors of UET Lahore, and Dr. Mumtaz Muhammad Shah and Dr. Muhammad Ahmed Farooqui for the Center of Excellence in Mineralogy, Quetta, were also confirmed.

Amendments to the jurisdiction of special courts were approved in line with directives from various high courts. This includes additional session judges being authorized to hear cases under the Lawyers’ Welfare and Protection Act 2023.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif lauded the economic team for its efforts in stabilizing the economy. Key highlights of his address included:

• Inflation Control: Inflation reached a 70-month low of 4.9%, down from 7.2% in October 2024.
• Revenue Growth: Enhanced enforcement measures have resulted in higher revenue collection compared to previous years.
• Export Milestone: Approval of sugar exports (0.79 million tonnes), projected to generate $500 million.
• Smuggling Clampdown: Zero tolerance for smuggling achieved through robust enforcement with the support of the Pakistan Army.

The Prime Minister congratulated the Minister for Aviation and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for securing the European aviation regulator’s approval to resume Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to Europe after four years.

He criticized past actions that led to the suspension of PIA’s European operations and acknowledged efforts by Khawaja Saad Rafique’s team for laying the groundwork for this achievement.

PM Shehbaz reaffirmed his commitment to driving economic growth through robust policy implementation and addressing challenges in sectors like exports, employment, and industrial development.