Why has the cabinet kept para 10 secret?

The Note, titled ‘Account Freezing Orders and Repatriation of Funds to Pakistan’, was submitted to the cabinet by the Assets Recovery Unit on Dec 2. Photo: File

ISLAMABAD: On December 3, the federal cabinet approved paragraph 10 of a certain ‘Note’, with the direction to keep the paragraph confidential.

The Note, titled ‘Account Freezing Orders and Repatriation of Funds to Pakistan’, was submitted to the cabinet by the Assets Recovery Unit on December 2. According to a notification seen by Geo.tv, Mirza Shahzad Akbar, the special assistant to the prime minister on accountability, briefed the cabinet regarding the repatriation of funds to Pakistan. No other details were mentioned.

The briefing was held in camera, “due to the discourse and confidentiality clause” read the notification.

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A day later the cabinet approved paragraph 10 of the Note and directed the cabinet secretary to seal the Note and to only de-seal it if required to be presented before a court of law.

On December 3, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency announced that it had agreed to a settlement of £190 million with a Pakistani businessman. The recovered amount and assets were later returned to the state of Pakistan.