Cinemas may reopen by month's end: Fawad Chaudhry

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry Tuesday said that the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) will consider reopening cinemas by the month's end, Radio Pakistan reported.

“National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) is to make a decision regarding reopening of cinemas,” the minister clarified.

It may be noted here that the government had closed all cinemas across the country during the second Covid-19 wave in November 2020.

Addressing a post-cabinet meeting press conference in Islamabad, the information minister said the cabinet has decided it will monitor the implementation of development projects under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP).

Chaudhry said a mechanism for the timely availability of funds for the projects will be developed. A third party will carry out the assessment of the projects to ensure transparency.

The minister said the PSDP allocation for the next fiscal year has been set at Rs900 billion, "and most mega projects for Sindh will be financed from it", said the national broadcaster.

The cabinet also accorded approval to the stormwater drain project that is a part of the Karachi Transformation Plan. Furthermore, a National Cable Policy was approved, under which digitalisation of cable will take place which will improve the quality of transmission and provide access to more television channels.

Chaudhry said the government will also give cable operators the right to purchase content. The cabinet approved appointments of community welfare attache's in seven countries. "On the complaints of overseas Pakistanis, two officers of Pakistani embassy in Saudi Arabia have been called back," the publication reported.

He said Carlton Hotel in Karachi, Jamshed Quarters and other federal government properties that lie in the heart of Karachi will be auctioned and people living there will be provided alternative places.

The use of Electronic Voting Machines under the electoral reforms was also discussed. He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan was given a presentation on the EVMs. "The EVMs have been developed as per the aspiration of the election commission," he said.

Chaudhry added: "It is our desire that the next by-elections be conducted using these electronic voting machines."

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs briefed the prime minister about the Elections (Second Amendment Bill) recently passed by the National Assembly. The meeting was informed that the piece of legislation has been forwarded to the Senate for approval.

Chaudhry said the government considers overseas Pakistanis an important part of Pakistan and its "priority is to give them the right to franchise". The information minister wished for the Supreme Court to hear Shahbaz Sharif's cases daily. "The people want to know the truth," he said.