Federal Cabinet Monday approved National Drinking Water Policy to improve quality of life of people by reducing incidents of death and illness caused by water-borne diseases, said Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Syed Sumsam Ali Shah Bukhari. Briefing the journalists about decisions of the meeting held in Islamabad with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in the chair, he said the basic objective of the policy is provision of adequate quantity of safe drinking water to the entire population at an affordable cost and in an equitable, efficient and sustainable manner. He said there are no bindings or conditions incorporated in the Kerry-Lugar Bill and has nothing in it which is against the interests of Pakistan and US had no intentions to attack Quetta. Sumsam said the Prime Minister constituted a three-member committee headed by Minister for Education to look into the issues regarding establishment of National University of Law and Social Sciences in Islamabad, having campuses in all the four provinces. He said the Cabinet ratified revised decisions of the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) held on July 14, 2009 regarding introduction of Ethanol-10 (E-10) blended fuel in the country. Syed Sumsam Bukhari said OGRA would regulate marketing and pricing of Ethanol as petroleum product. Announcing the other decisions of the Cabinet, he said the meeting granted ex-post facto approval for initiation of negotiations and signing of two MoUs between the governments of Pakistan and Iran regarding trade exhibition and cooperation for promotion of bilateral trade. The Cabinet also granted approval in principal for negotiation the draft MoU on defence cooperation between the Pakistan and Austria. Regarding support price of wheat, he said the sowing season of the commodity has not yet started and it would soon be announced.
