-Directs authorities to improve energy sector
-Inaugurates Al-Qadir University in Jhelum
By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday directed to maintain the gas tariff for next few months in a order to provide relief to the consumers.
Chairing a review meeting on the prices of flour, sugar and other essential commodities, the prime minister called for intensifying efforts to facilitate the common man, particularly belonging to the lower class.
Federal ministers including Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Mohammad Hammad Azhar, Syed Fakhr-e-Imam, Omar Ayub and Asad Umar; special assistants Nadeem Babar, Dr Waqar Masood and Tabish Gohar, former finance minister Shaukat Tareen, federal secretaries and senior officials attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed issues regarding stability of the prices of essential commodities, particularly of flour, and the measures to reduce the prices of sugar, gas and petrol. The prime minister was given a briefing on the prices of petroleum products in international market. PM’s Special Assistant on Petroleum Nadeem Babar mentioned that the gas prices were raised on July 1, 2019, and now the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) had again recommended six to seven percent increase in its tariff.
The prime minister directed his economic team to ensure stability of the flour prices till the government introduced the Targeted Subsidy Scheme. He said a comprehensive programme was under consideration for provision of direct subsidy on flour to the poor people. The subsidy was aimed at providing financial relief to the weaker sections.
He stressed on timely import of wheat through public and private means as per the government decisions keeping in view the future needs. The prime minister was briefed on the proposed measures to bring down the price of sugar. The meeting was informed that under the Ramazan relief package, Rs 7 billion had been approved for provision of commodities at subsidized rates.
Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan on Friday inaugurated Al-Qadir University in Jhelum. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, PM Imran said that no nation can make progress without education.
