2017 census: Council of Common Interests to take final decision on Monday

• 44th CCI meeting decides a decision on 2017 census results should be finalised on Monday.
  
• Committee formed for importing LNG.
• HEC will be sole standard-setting organisation with regards to higher education.

ISLAMABAD: The Council of Common Interests (CCI) has decided to take a final decision on the 2017 population census results on Monday, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

The statement, issued on Wednesday, came after the 44th CCI meeting concluded under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The meeting decided to establish a permanent CCI secretariat in line with the Constitution.

"This is for the first time that a permanent Secretariat of the CCI has been established to meet the long-overdue Constitutional requirement," the statement said.

The meeting approved the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority's Annual Report for 2019-20 and State of Industry Report 2020 and also gave a nod to the amendment in Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Policy 2012.

As directed by CCI's 43rd meeting, the observations of the provinces were incorporated into NEPRA’s Annual Report 2018-19 and State of Industry Report, 2019, and the reports presented before the meeting were approved.

"On notifying Census-2017 results, it was decided to hold a virtual meeting on Monday to take a final decision on the issue," the PM's Office said.

On the issue of importing LNG, a committee comprising of minister for planning, minister for energy, and SAPM for Power and petroleum has been formed to hold consultations with the provinces to evolve a consensus in meeting the challenge of dwindling local gas reserves and increasing domestic gas requirements.

Moreover, on the education front, it was decided the Higher Education Commission (HEC) would be the sole standard-setting national organisation with regards to higher education in the country.

"HEC will strengthen its regional centers for better representation and coordination with the provinces," the statement said.

"In order to further improve ease of doing business and harmonisation of quality and standards across the country, it was decided that provinces will notify harmonised standards set by Pakistan Standard & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) by repealing their own standards," it said.

The meeting, while agreeing on Zakat Distribution Fund Formula, decided after the merger of FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zakat funds for the area will be transferred to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for distribution among the deserving people of the merged districts.