ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet which is scheduled to meet Tuesday (Aug 11) with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair will discuss affects of flash floods in Sindh, Karachi situation, update on sugar, wheat import.

In addition, the country's political situation, celebrations of August 14 and ways to celebrate two years of PTI government will also come under discussion. The Cabinet will consider second extension in contract of Justice, Shakid Ullah Jan (Retd) for a further two years - from September 7, 2020, as Chairman National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).

The Cabinet will approve exemption of 160 accused of fourth schedule of Sindh and Balochistan from section 11-00 of ATA 1997.

According to Section 11EE of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 (Annex-1), the Fourth Schedule is a list of proscribed persons against whom there are reasonable grounds to believe that such persons are (a) concerned in terrorism; (b) an activist, office bearer or an associate of an organization kept under observation; and (c) in any way concerned or suspected to be concerned with such organization or affiliated with any group or organization suspected to be involved in terrorism or sectarianism or acting on behalf of, or at the direction of, any person or organization proscribed under the Act. The names in the Fourth Schedule are included by the concerned Provincial Home Department after credible intelligence information from law enforcement agencies.

In order to monitor their activities and to prevent them from propagating their noxious views, the section 11-EE of ATA 1997 places elaborate restrictions on movement of Fourth Schedulers. Under Section 11-0, the money or other properties including bank accounts shall be frozen or seized and no person shall use, transfer, convert, dispose of or remove such money or other property with effect from the date of proscription. Section 11-00 of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 empowers the federal government to permit access to services, money or other property to a proscribed person required for meeting necessary medical and educational expenses and for subsistence allowance.

The government of Sindh forwarded the request to exempt certain part of the monthly income (being maintained in their account) of 42 Fourth Schedulers for seeking exemption under section 11-00 of ATA 1997. Sindh government has forwarded 42 cases for exemption while Balochistan has sought exemption for 118 accused.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020

Comments

Comments are closed.