ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday emphasised that the electricity relief package announced by the Punjab government is entirely funded by the provincial budget without any contribution from the federal government.
While appreciating the initiative, he urged other provincial governments to introduce similar measures to provide relief to the public in their respective regions.
Speaking at the Federal Cabinet meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister reiterated that the federal government, in collaboration with provincial governments, is working on a comprehensive plan aimed at implementing reforms across various sectors of the economy.
PM welcomes Punjab CM’s package: It’s a pro-people move: PMO
Key areas of focus include the power sector, agriculture, digitalisation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and boosting commerce and trade.
Highlighting a major initiative, Shehbaz Sharif spoke about a collaborative project between the federal and Balochistan governments, aimed at converting 28,000 tube wells to solar energy at a cost of PKR 70 billion, with the federal government contributing PKR 55 billion.
He also noted that inflation has significantly decreased, dropping to 11 per cent from the previous 38 per cent, marking the lowest rate in three years, as part of the government’s economic stabilisation efforts.
The Cabinet offered prayers (Fateha) for the martyrs and those who lost their lives in recent floods and heavy rains.
During the meeting, the Cabinet received a briefing on the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the Mubarak Sani case.
The prime minister was informed that, under his directives, an additional petition was filed in the Supreme Court on August 17, 2024.
The National Assembly had previously debated the matter and referred it to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice.
Both government and opposition members unanimously, recommended that the federal government file a petition in the Supreme Court, considering the legal aspects and input from religious scholars.
Following discussions between the prime minister and the speaker of the National Assembly, the additional petition was officially submitted.
The attorney general and his team are set to present arguments on August 22, 2024, based on recommendations from religious scholars and the standing committee.
In other developments, the federal cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade and Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce to promote cooperation in the e-commerce sector.
The cabinet also endorsed the establishment of the “Prime Minister’s Skills Development Company” under the National Commission for Technical and Vocational Training (NAVTTC).
This company will manage funds for technical and vocational training programs while separating NAVTTC’s operational and regulatory functions.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved the transfer of operations of the King Hamad University of Nursing and Associated Medical Sciences to the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS).
An MoU will be signed between the Ministry of National Health and the Ministry of Defence in this regard. Lastly, the Cabinet ratified decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Government-Owned Enterprises during its August 12, 2024, meeting, as well as those taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on August 15, 2024.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024