-Asks PTI leadership to start mass contact campaign
-Info Minister claims prices of commodities seeing downward trend despite hike in POL prices
-Governor Sindh says plan to give petrol at subsidized rate will be presented next week
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan on Wednesday has directed relevant authorities to take immediate measures to provide relief to the middle and poor class, along with the expansion of subsidy scheme under Ehsaas Program.
The poor-friendly decision announced by the Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain in a virtual media interaction after a meeting of the PTI’s core committee.
The Minister said that Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Punjab were ready to become part of Ehsaas Program’s subsidy scheme, while Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir had also expressed an interest. “We want Sindh and Baluchistan to also become part of the subsidy scheme,” he said, adding that party leaders from Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated in the meeting.
He claimed that while the prices of petroleum products had increased, the prices of other essentials, such as pulses, vegetables, sugar and wheat, were on the decline.
Prior to chairing a meeting of the core committee, Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the Ehsaas programme, the minister said.
The meeting was attended by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar and senior bureaucrats.
The minister said that the real issue was being caused by the Sindh government which was delaying the release of wheat. “Because of this, a 20kg bag of flour is being sold for Rs400 more in Sindh as compared to Punjab and KP.” He said that the federal government was pressing the provincial government to increase the amount of wheat released so that prices would fall.
“According to our estimates, this year our wheat crop will be historic,” he said, noting that the cotton output was 60pc more than the previous year.
The information minister said that sugar prices were coming down and would reduce further once the crushing season begins.
The minister said that while petrol prices had increased, the prices of pulses, vegetables, sugar and flour were on the downward trend. If this trend continues, the public will get some relief on this side considering the increase in petrol prices, he said. He said that the entire government was working on tackling inflation and the premier would announce major programmes in this regard in the coming days.
He said that one of the most important issues discussed during the meeting was the local government elections in Punjab and PM Imran had directed the leadership to launch a public campaign. The premier also directed party leaders to prepare a schedule for cities and districts in preparation for the local government elections.
Chaudhry Fawad Hussain pointed out that owing to the continued delay in the release of wheat by Sindh government the price of 40 kg wheat flour bag in Sindh was Rs. 400 higher than in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. “We are continuously urging the Sindh government to enhance the release of wheat so that the price of wheat flour in Sindh is reduced,” he remarked.
The Information Minister said that with 60 percent increase registered in cotton produce as compared to the previous year, the country was also expected to witness a historic sugarcane crop this year. He said that with continue decline being witnessed in the price of wheat flour, the price of sugar will also further reduce after the start of crushing season.
The Information Minister said that the prices of pulses, vegetables, sugar and Atta were on declining trend, adding, if this trend continued, people will get some relief from the hardships faced by them due to increase in petroleum prices. He The Information Minister said that the government was striving to tackle the challenge of inflation. The Prime Minister will announce major programs in the coming days, he added.
Meanwhile, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail confirmed that the relevant authorities have been directed to make a plan to provide subsidised petrol to low-income groups.
