The federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, on Tuesday approved an increase in the membership of the Privatisation Commission Board from 8 to 11.

The decision follows recommendations from the Privatisation Division and aligns with the Prime Minister's earlier directive for greater inclusion of women in key national boards, as announced on International Women’s Day.

According to a press release issued by the PM Office Media Wing, the newly created seats will be filled by women, marking a step towards gender parity in the country’s significant decision-making bodies.

In addition to this, the cabinet also endorsed the privatisation of three distribution companies (DISCOs) in the first phase, a decision taken during the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation's meeting on August 2.

Urea Prices and agricultural support

The cabinet also deliberated on measures to control the prices of urea fertiliser, a critical agricultural input. In light of the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) decision on August 2, the cabinet directed that gas supply to urea manufacturing plants should continue uninterrupted beyond September 2024 to avoid the need for urea imports.

The cabinet emphasised the importance of agriculture as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, urging measures to reduce input costs for farmers to lower their per-acre expenses.

The cabinet ratified all decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation on August 2, with a particular focus on the privatisation of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Prime Minister Sharif instructed that a comprehensive plan be presented for the SOEs that are already slated for privatisation.

On the recommendation of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, the cabinet approved the implementation of a court order for the regularisation of daily-wage teachers employed by the Federal Directorate of Education (FED).

The cabinet further gave its approval for the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the foreign ministries of Guatemala and Ecuador, aiming to initiate political consultations and strengthen bilateral relations. It ratified decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on State Owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs) on August 5 and the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases on July 31.