The Federal Cabinet has approved provision Electronic Voting Machines to the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold Local Government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory through EVMs.

Briefing media about the decisions taken by the federal cabinet which met in Islamabad today with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that the ECP had written a letter to the Ministry of Science and Technology for the provision of EVMs and the federal cabinet directed the ministry to acquire the same as per ECP's demand.

The Minister said the cabinet was briefed that Omicron cases are rising in Pakistan and keeping this in view it was stressed that precautionary measures should be followed to avoid spread of this variant of Coronavirus.

Talking about the Health Card programme, he said this initiative is being launched gradually in Punjab, while the entire population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has already been provided this facility. He said all members of a family registered in NADRA record can get treatment up to one million rupees from all government and designated private hospitals. He said this facility is available to admitted patients only. He said Punjab is going to contribute 400 billion rupees for this programme and Sindh Government should also play its due role to provide quality health facilities to the people of Sindh.

Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said prices of essential items are decreasing, which is a good omen.

He said the cabinet also approved tabling of Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021 in the National Assembly. He said it approved an agreement between China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority and Chinese Ministry of Environment to provide 3,000 solar power generations to the people of Gwadar, who are facing the problem of electricity.

Talking about foreign funding case in ECP, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said it is the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which has an elaborate system of funding and accounting. He demanded of the ECP that a comparison of all political parties should be presented so that people can know which party has a complete record and which one is missing this.

Speaking on the occasion the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan People's Party run unverifiable accounts, which is a sheer violation of law.

Source: Radio Pakistan