ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday ratified the defence cooperation agreement between Pakistan and Kuwait, a pact the two countries signed in 2023 to deepen cooperation between their armed forces.
A handout from the Prime Minister’s Office said the agreement was concluded on June 11, 2023, and that the Kuwaiti government had ratified it on July 19. The cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved the ratification to strengthen institutional links between the two militaries.
The prime minister also pointed to recent diplomatic activity, including two Pakistani delegations to Tehran and visits to Pakistan by the Saudi defence minister and the Turkish official Ibrahim Kalin, saying the talks aimed at easing regional tensions.
On domestic energy, the prime minister announced a competitive and transparent mechanism for allocating liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) quotas, saying it would end a decades-old monopoly. Locally produced LPG will be offered through competitive auctions under proper supervision, while importing companies will also have to follow prescribed procedures.
The premier did not cite the closure of the Pakistan-Iran border as a cause of the LPG crisis, pointing instead to high international petroleum prices and difficulties on sea routes. Supply has been disrupted by the closure of Iranian border crossings, with gas cylinders selling in the open market at twice the official rate.
He said the fuel subsidy programme launched in September would continue until the end of December. Around Rs28 billion has been spent on it so far, benefiting about 15 million people, or an estimated 75 million including their families.
On provincial governance, the cabinet transferred the powers of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. The prime minister said a comprehensive Rs160 billion development and security package for the province had been finalised.
The cabinet also approved designs for a new series of currency notes and the introduction of a Rs10 coin to replace the existing 10-rupee banknote. The new notes will carry enhanced security features and advanced materials to curb counterfeiting and improve durability.
