Cabinet defers POL price increase

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has decided to observe office timings from 10am to 4pm during Ramazan to provide the maximum relief to fasting people.

Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday. It deferred the increase in prices of petroleum products as the PM directed to forward recommendations pertaining to the increase to ECC for review. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) had recommended drastic increase in the prices.

Addressing a news conference along with Minister of Water Resources Faisal Vawda Tuesday afternoon, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan after the cabinet meeting said a special committee has been assigned the responsibility to prepare a Ramazan package to provide the maximum relief to masses.

She said the committee will also make sure that no load-shedding is done during the holy month. Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet was taken into confidence regarding the proposed local government system in Punjab that will be modeled on the one already implemented successfully in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

She said the new local government system will devolve the powers at the grass-root level and empower local people. She said the cabinet discussed in detail five legislative bills that will help people resolve their problems as part of people-friendly agenda of PTI government.

She said Enforcement of Women Property Rights Bill will ensure that women get their due share in inheritance. Amendments in Code of Civil Procedure will help decide thecivil cases swiftly. Similarly, the Succession Certificates will now be issued by Nadra and heirs can get these within a fortnight, saving their precious time and hassle.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the Whistle Blower Protection Bill will also be introduced to provide protection to whistleblowers regarding corruption in various public institutions. She said an Anti-Corporal Punishment Bill will also be tabled soon in the parliament to discourage the physical punishment and abuse at schools.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister said a bill named Zainab Alert will also be introduced to stop child sexual abuse. Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet also discussed Ogra’s recommendation to increase the prices of petroleum products by 14 rupees per litre. The prime minister directed to send this recommendation to the ECC to review it in order to pass minimum burden to the people.

The cabinet also decided to hold audit of the 1,300 billion rupees circular debt in order to determine who is responsible for this increase, and the facts will be presented in next cabinet meeting, she said. Firdous Ashiq Awan said the previous Punjab government left a debt of 100 billion rupees, besides the bounced cheques of 80 billion rupees. However, due to good governance and austerity measures taken by the incumbent government, a saving of 100 billion rupees has been made at the federal level.

She said the prime minister directed to ensure that austerity steps are implemented at both federal and provincial levels. The special assistant said the cabinet was also taken into confidence on various initiatives taken by the Task Force on Institutional Reforms in various institutions.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said the cabinet congratulated the Prime Minister on his successful visit to China and signing of important agreements on socio-economic development, free trade and agriculture. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Water Resources Faisal Vawda said Prime Minister Imran Khan will perform ground-breaking of Mohmand Dam on Thursday. He said work is also in progress on 29 different small water reservoirs related projects in Balochistan.