By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday has chaired a session of the federal cabinet to deliberate upon important national issues including inflation, railways and the revival of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The cabinet members welcomed the appointment of Dr Waqar Masood as a special assistant on revenue. The cabinet also reviewed the government steps for reducing inflation.
During the briefing, PM Imran Khan has been informed that steps are being taken for decreasing the prices of essential commodities and artificial hike in flour rates will end after the wheat imports. It was told that the first shipment of wheat reached the country and remaining shipments will arrive in Pakistan soon.
The federal cabinet members decided to launch crackdown on profiteers and hoarders of sugar in order to bring down its prices. In the session, Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed presented the revival plan of Pakistan Railways and raised the issue for the payment of pensions to the employees.
The members were briefed that Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) will fully revive in three phases. Rasheed said that the Supreme Court (SC) had directed to restore the KCR at earliest.
Moreover, the annual financial report of the national flag-carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), was also presented before the federal cabinet.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz on Tuesday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government and the prime minister have nothing to do with the treason case lodged against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and other party leaders.
Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting in Islamabad today, Shibli Faraz said that it might be possible that the first information report (FIR) had been registered against Nawaz Sharif by his own people to get political mileage.
He maintained the Punjab government has started investigations to unearth the truth behind the case and will find out the person who had lodged the FIR. The minister said that it was impossible for any prime minister to maintain a record of FIRs registered across the country.
Responding to a question, Shibli Faraz said, “When you speak in the language of Pakistan’s enemies, there is no need to say that you are not a patriot.”
He reiterated that PM Imran will not bow down to pressure tactics or blackmailing and added that he neither did nor allow anyone to do corruption in the country.
