ISLAMABAD(National Times)- The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved a 15% increase in pensions provided by the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), effective from January 1, 2025. The cabinet’s decision was based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development. This increase will be funded from the institution’s own resources. The meeting of the federal cabinet was held here under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The prime minister directed the formation of a cabinet committee to introduce institutional reforms in EOBI. The committee will also deliberate on proposals to extend old-age benefits to the informal labour sector, including domestic workers, agricultural labourers, and other marginalised employment categories that have been previously overlooked. These reforms aim to ensure that workers in these neglected sectors receive their due rights.
Import exemptions
The cabinet also approved the initiation of necessary legal procedures regarding the draft of the Sea Carriage Shipping Documents Bill, 2025, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs. On the recommendation of the Ministry of National Health Services, the cabinet approved a five-year extension of the exemption on the import of anti-cancer, cardiac, and life-saving drugs used in hospitals and related healthcare institutions. These medicines are considered vital for saving human lives, and the exemption is intended to ensure their prompt availability. These drugs will be available only in hospitals and authorised institutions, with a ban on open market sales. Import of these medicines will require prior approval from the relevant licensing authority. The federal cabinet also endorsed the decisions made in the meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases held on July 2, 2025, and July 3, 2025.
Praise on Muharram arrangements
Earlier, addressing the cabinet, the prime minister commended the efforts of all provincial governments, the federal administration, as well as authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) for making the best possible arrangements during Muharram. He also expressed gratitude to the law enforcement agencies and all stakeholders for maintaining law and order during the religious observances.The prime minister also spoke about disaster preparedness amid the ongoing monsoon season. He said he had chaired a high-level meeting with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) to ensure the best arrangements. He commended the efforts of NDMA for making arrangements to cope with heavy rains in different parts of the country. He expressed sorrow over the loss of lives due to heavy rainfall in various parts of the country, specifically the tragic incident in Swat. He said it was an unfortunate incident and emphasised the need to learn lessons from it and implement measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Satisfaction with economy
On the economic front, PM Shehbaz expressed satisfaction over the recent positive trends in macroeconomic indicators. He reiterated his government’s focus on performance and service delivery, announcing that the performance of ministries would be evaluated every two months. “This message I want to make loud and clear—it is all about delivery and service to the nation,” the prime minister stressed. He added that ministries performing well will be acknowledged and appreciated, while those falling short will be held accountable and asked to explain. During the meeting, he also praised Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal for his ministry’s effective utilisation of development funds, noting that the development spending had reached over Rs1 trillion under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
