Cabinet decides to amend laws for appointing heads of public sector institutions.

ISLAMABAD -- The Federal Cabinet on Tuesday decided to amend relevant laws for appointments in various government departments, especially their heads, to induct best human resource in the public sector organizations.

Briefing the media about the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan here, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said the PM had constituted a committee headed by Adviser on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, which would present its recommendations in that regard within one week. The PM directed Minister of Law and Justice Farogh Naseem to prepare draft amendments in the relevant laws like ESTA Code, Companies Act and Corporate Governance Rules.

Shibli Faraz said the cabinet was briefed on the progress made in the electoral reforms process.

Briefing about the salient features of the proposed reforms, Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Swati, formerly Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said the recommendations made by the electoral reforms committee included timely delivery and announcement of election results, finalization of the action plan by political parties four months before the election, time for delimitation of constituencies and permission to a candidate to appoint five agents. The presence of nominated representatives of respective candidates during vote counting, reforms regarding women quota, election expenses, basis of delimitation and steps to address the lacunas in the process, right of vote for expatriate Pakistanis and biometric voting were also parts of the proposals.

The PM, while appreciating the proposals, said all the lacunas in the election laws would be addressed so that the people's trust in the election process was restored and nobody could raise a finger on the transparency of election. A transparent and credible electoral process was the foundation of democracy and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was the only party which had taken serious efforts and practical steps for electoral reforms.

Expressing the government's commitment, the prime minister directed to intensify efforts so that electoral reforms process should be completed as soon as possible.

Shibli Faraz said the cabinet discussed the issue of unlawful appointments made in various ministries during the previous governments. It transpired that appointments without any cabinet approval were made in 12 ministries. Expressing his serious concern, the prime minister...