The federal cabinet met on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad where it discussed the formation of task forces to tackle the matter of creating 10 million jobs and building 5 million houses, as promised by the incumbent government in its 100-day plan.

The meeting also reviewed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the prime minister will soon be given a detailed presentation on the various CPEC projects, Radio Pakistan reported.

Later, briefing media persons about the decisions taken during the cabinet meeting, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the task forces will complete their working on the matters and present their plan in 90-days' time.

"The prime minister will also review the performance of these task forces after every 15 days," Chaudhry said.

Answering a question about how more jobs will be created, Chaudhry said the government will not employ unnecessary help in its own departments, "that is not how you create jobs, our task is to create opportunities where eligible people can apply, that is what the task force is working on."

Reformation of laws

“Government reforms are an important matter and under which civil service reforms hold a high degree of importance. Our adviser for austerity has been tasked with presenting federal government reforms within 90 days," the minister said.

"He will also be overseeing reforms in the planning department. A large amount of money goes into Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for which he [the austerity adviser] will be bringing in reforms," he added.

The minister also said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws will be amended to make the body more effective and that Law Minister Farogh Nasim will work on this matter.

"Necessary amendments will also be introduced in civil laws to address women inheritance issues and delay in decision of cases," he added.

Plan for south Punjab province and integration of Fata

The cabinet also touched upon the matter of forming a separate province in southern Punjab, Chaudhry said. "PTI government will hold talks with the PPP, PML-N and other parties to draft a 'workable plan' for the creation of a province in south Punjab," Chaudhry told the media.

"Creating a province is no small task. We will need consensus and a two-thirds majority for which we will begin talks with the PPP and PML-N," the information minister maintained.

He also said that Arbab Shehzad has been assigned the task of early materialisation of the Fata merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

10-billion tree tsunami drive launched

The information minister said the government will hold 'Plant for Pakistan Day' on September 2, where 1.5 million saplings will be planted all over the country.

Climate Change Adviser Aslam briefed the media about the initiative and said that the drive was an important step "to save Pakistan from becoming a desert."

"The prime minister will initiate this project here in Islamabad while the chief ministers will lead it in their respective provinces," Aslam said.

"All provincial governments have been called in to discuss their targets with us and hopefully all those targets will be achieved on the day of the drive," Aslam told the media persons.

The adviser briefed that the government was creating 190 points all over the country where the forest department will work with the municipal administration.

"There will be pick-up points, [which will be identified through] a Facebook page that is being created. This page will tell people that from where they can collect plants and who will provide them," the adviser said while expressing hope that all Pakistanis will take part in the campaign.