ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Monday, said that economic stability and provision of relief to the public remained government’s top priorities and all measures were being taken to not only provide immediate relief but also ensure long-term economic stability.
He said that the Government of Pakistan was prepared to face any situation arising from the ongoing global tensions.
The prime minister chaired a review meeting regarding enforcement of austerity and relief measures and conservation and management of petroleum reserves in the wake of emerging situation in the region.
The prime minister directed petroleum distribution companies to ensure sale of petroleum products at the government-determined prices and to maintain transparency in this matter, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and relevant senior officials.
The prime minister told the participants that in view of the current global situation, consultations were being held regarding additional measures to provide relief to the public, adding due to the government’s timely decisions, an adequate quantity of petroleum products was currently available in the country.
He said considering the global fluctuating situation, the decisions taken by the committee formed in a timely manner to maintain economic stability, had ensured the continuous supply of petroleum products for the public.
The prime minister further said that measures for austerity and savings at the national level had already been implemented, and further initiatives were being mulled over, adding the directives had already been issued for a third-party audit to ensure the implementation of all these decisions.
During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on the country’s existing oil reserves, imports of petroleum products to meet local demand and measures to provide relief to the public in the current scenario.
The meeting was apprised that the government was continuously monitoring the sale of petroleum products at the fixed prices while to ensure the uninterrupted supply of oil and its sale at the prescribed price, a feature had been added to the Pak App enabling consumers to report certain issues.
Through the Pak App, consumers could now inform the relevant authorities about the unavailability of fuel or its sale at higher prices anywhere in the country, upon which the immediate action would be taken, it was added.
The participants of the meeting appreciated prime minister’s decision last Friday not to further increase petroleum prices.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif directed the Pakistan Railways to increase the number of freight trains.
According to official sources here on Monday, measures to shift cargo transport from roads to rail are being accelerated.
The Pakistan Railways has started contacting chambers of commerce and commercial organisations. Traders and industrialists are invited to book freight through the Pakistan Railways. Compared to other modes of transport, trains are the cheapest means for cargo transportation.
The Pakistan Railways is fully prepared to increase freight operations. On the direction of the Railway minister, the manufacturing of freight wagons has been urgently accelerated.
An increase in the number of freight trains is expected soon, which will help save fuel at the national level. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan and President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Engineer Amir Muqam Monday held meeting with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
The minister briefed the prime minister about the progress of public welfare projects in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The meeting also discussed the affairs of PMLN in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On the special instructions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, it has been decided to pay salaries to federal government employees before Eidul Fitr holidays.
Federal government departments have received the prime minister’s instructions and action has been taken to pay salaries before Eid. Separately, the prime minister has tasked the Intelligence Bureau (IB) with monitoring implementation of the national austerity plan across government institutions, reports Geo News.
As per a Cabinet Division notification issued on Monday, the IB will “conduct a comprehensive audit and validation exercise, including impact assessment, with respect to all fuel conservation and additional austerity measures”.
“The bureau would submit weekly reports to the Prime Minister as well as to the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures,” it said.
