LAHORE: The West Pakistan Cabinet today [April 28] decided to make punishment of whipping a mandatory provision of law for three major crimes trafficking in narcotics, child lifting and cattle lifting.

The decision was taken at a five-hour meeting held this morning under the chairmanship of the Governor, Mr Mohammad Musa. The mandatory punishment which would be in addition to other punishments would come into effect after the Whipping Act was amended accordingly. The grave situation in this connection has been under the active consideration of the Government which came to the conclusion that deterrent punishment was necessary to deal with the problem.

An official spokesman told newsmen that the Cabinet had also approved the draft of the West Pakistan Journalists (Conditions of Service) Ordinance which would now replace the pending bill before the Assembly. The ordinance would most likely be promulgated before April30.

The Working Journalists (Conditions of Service) Bill is pending with the Standing Committee of the Provincial Assembly since last year but then the Government decided to enforce it through an ordinance to avoid delay in its passage by the Legislature.

The Governor also directed the Minister for Education to look into public complaints regarding shortage of text books and prepare a complete report on the matter. Correspondent [Agencies add,] the Cabinet discussed at length the functioning of the jirga trial system and decided that certain administrative measures be taken to streamline the procedure to eliminate delays in the disposal of cases.

The spokesman said the Governor was keen that every possible measure be taken to ensure early disposal of cases so that no hardship was caused to the parties concerned.

The Cabinet also decided to extend the West Pakistan Small Industries Corporation Ordinance to all the tribal areas in the province to encourage the industrialisation in the tribal areas.