The federal cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) authorised a grant of more than Rs. 1.3 billion on Tuesday for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold local government (LG) by-elections across the nation.

Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, presided over the ECC meeting, which also took into account a number of proposals from other sectors.

According to a press release here, the ECC reviewed and accepted an ECP summary for a grant of Rs. 1.317 billion in relation to the local government elections in Islamabad and Punjab and the LG by-elections in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

In several regions of the nation, the ECP is prepared to hold LG by-elections on November 14.

Also approved by the ECC was a summary of a Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) of Rs. 16.995 billion filed by the Ministry of Communications (Postal Services Wing) to settle verified pending liabilities of Pakistan Post Office Department agencies and corporations.

As part of the FBR Transformation Plan, which was previously approved by the Prime Minister, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) submitted five separate reports to the ECC.

Through joint deliberation, the ECC also determined that the Finance and Revenue Divisions would determine the details of the five suggestions, including money allocation and release.

To upgrade the engines of two VVIP aircraft used by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari for official business, the ECC previously authorised a technical supplemental grant of Rs 1.8 billion.

According to a news release released here, “the ECC investigated and approved a Technical Supplementary Grant to the Ministry of Defence to the tune of Rs. 1.8 billion for overhaul of engines of two VVIP aircraft being utilised for state duties with the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan.”