Cabinet approves purchase of COVID-19 vaccine

• Prime Minister Imran Khan chairs weekly cabinet meeting
• Cabinet gives nod to health ministry to purchase coronavirus vaccine
  
• Meeting approves the appointment of the Chairman Board of Directors of Pakistan Expo Centres Private Limited
  

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday accorded approval to the Ministry of Health for the purchase of vaccines to aide Pakistan's fight against coronavirus.

The cabinet, which met with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair, was briefed by Special Assistant on Health Dr Faisal Sultan about the present situation of the pandemic in the country.

The meeting approved the appointment of the Chairman Board of Directors (BOD) of Pakistan Expo Centres Private Limited.

It also approved the constitution of a special committee to adjudicate on the appeals made under Clause 21 of the Trade Organisations Act 2013. The committee would be able to exercise its authority after the completion of amendments in the relevant laws.

The meeting accorded approval for the appointment of members of the Press Council of Pakistan.

Read more: Coronavirus vaccine to be available in Pakistan in two months: Dr Atta-ur-Rehman

In order to improve the quality of exports in the fisheries sector, the cabinet okayed the constitution of the Inspection Committee, which would perform duties of inspection of the Fish Processing Plants to be established in the country.

The Inspection Committee comprises representatives of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, and Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association.

The cabinet accepted the resignation of Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) and approved the constitution of a selection committee for the appointment of the new CEO.

The Managing Director of the Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) would look after the AEDB till the appointment of the new CEO.

The cabinet endorsed the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee for Legal Cases in its meeting held on December 31, 2020.

The cabinet also offered fateha (special prayer for the deceased) for the souls of labourers gunned down in the Machh coal mine incident, for Osama Satti who was allegedly killed by police firing in Islamabad, and for the martyrs of Pakistan Armed Forces.