LAHORE: Expressing resolve that the PTI government would never compromise on the country's national and economic interests, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said on Sunday that after the passage of 18th Amendment, the management of commodities was a provincial subject, but the matter was being politicised to pressurise the federal government.

Talking to media here Sunday, he said that 6 million tonnes of sugar was annual requirement of the country and last year country's sugar production was less than its domestic requirement. By the grace of Allah Almighty, this year the country would have a bumper crop of sugarcane and about 7 to 7.2 million tonnes of sugar would be produced, he added.

He said the PTI government had revived the Competition Commission of Pakistan and imposed fine of more than Rs 40 billion on sugar mafia. The FBR has also been revived and it imposed tax of Rs 500 billion on the tax evaders, but they also got stay orders from courts.

Shahbaz Gill said that the country had foreign reserves of $20 billion, which were $9 billion when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came to power. To a question, he said that through the Ehsaas ration card initiative, those affected by price-hike would get relief.

Answering a question, he said the PTI government did not believe in the use of power against protestors, adding that Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had already been rejected by the people.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021