Masses to get relief: Govt freezes gas, power tariffs

By Mumtaz Alvi

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday directed a freeze on the gas and electricity tariffs and called for the best possible options to reduce the burden of various surcharges in gas and electricity bills.

He was chairing a federal cabinet meeting here during which important decision were made.

The prime minister asked for review of tariff and bill collection system of the gas companies.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said Prime Minister Imran Khan had asked the Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan to step down after he submitted a reply to the Supreme Court in his personal capacity, having nothing to do with the government direction.

She said this in response to a question during a media briefing about the cabinet meeting. The questioner asked if the attorney general stepped down on his own or was asked to do. Dr. Firdous said the government was not aware of the reply and the prime minister took notice of it and directed the minister for law and his legal team to submit the government stance. Accordingly, the secretary law submitted the government stance showing indifference to the attorney general’s position.

She pointed out that through its stance, the prime minister reiterated his commitment to the rule of law and independence of the judiciary and that the government would not appreciate any bid against the independence of judiciary or an honourable judge.

The special assistant noted that Anwar Mansoor’s statement was in negation of the prime minister’s directives.

The forum was taken into confidence on the recent IMF staff level negotiations and that the government measures had been appreciated.

The prime minister directed the advisor on finance to thrash out a mechanism for provision of relief to the poor and low-income groups.

Managing director Utility Stores Corporation (USC) briefed the meeting about the impact of availability of essential commodities at the utility stores, which had also brought down the rates of goods in the market. The cabinet noted with satisfaction that the prime minister’s Rs15 billion package was showing encouraging results.

The USC managing director was directed to procure ghee from the ghee mills of the merged tribal districts and Azad Kashmir, where there was no levy of taxes and duties so that the relief in prices could reach the people and the artificial crisis could be coped with.

She said the ECC had decided to import 5 million ton wheat with a view to ensuring smooth demand and supply. However, it would be ensured that the commodity would be imported when its prices would come down on the international market.

The cabinet was informed that presently 2.8 million ton wheat was lying in the government stocks that was sufficient for the needs.

The ECC decided to release one lakh ton wheat each for Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the provinces would be bound to timely procure wheat.

Adviser on Finance Dr Hafiz Sheikh reiterated that timely procurement of wheat would ensure a smooth demand supply. He said some provinces tried to be smart, burdening the Centre and forcing it to spare wheat from its strategic reserves.

All the provinces, particularly Sindh, were asked to procure wheat on time, as the NFC had ensured ample resources to them and the crisis in future should be averted.

Referring to the PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif’s statement on the wheat crisis, Firdous said an opposition leader whose chamber at the Parliament House was empty was lecturing from London and one of his spokespersons was doing so from Australia.

“But their use of modern technology is a mismatch to the problems of the grass-root level people, whom they want to mislead but the opposition’s target is the Prime Minister House,” she remarked.

The federal cabinet decided that the tariff of electricity and gas would not be increased till June. However, the ministers concerned would give a briefing to the forum in the next meeting on the basis of which a sustainable line of action would be adopted.

She pointed out that a detailed report on wheat crisis would be submitted next week, as one had already passed, whereas prime minister with 20 questions had ordered an inquiry into the sugar crisis so that all those involved in the two key commodities smuggling, hoarding, profiteering be identified and dealt with an iron hand.

The ministry of industries was asked by the forum to opt for a third party evaluation with regard to sugar price.

In order to check prices of potato, onion and tomato, the ECC clamped a ban on its export while already there’s a constant fall in the prices of these items.

The prime minister directed for ensuring availability of sufficient stocks of essential items during the holy month of Ramazan to ward off profiteering.

The prime minister also asked the provinces to take steps for ensuring relief to the consumers when oil prices fall in the world market, as unfortunately, rates were increased immediately after they showed an upward trend but in case of their fall no such immediate relief was given to public.

In this connect, the provinces would chalk out a strategy, involving the concerned bodies.

The oil and gas ministry gave a briefing about the possibility of bringing down oil and gas tariff while prime minister asked the advisor on petroleum to stem fluctuations in bills and reduce pilferage and line losses and come up with an affordable roadmap and use technology to do way with adjustment of slabs, which disfavoured the consumers.

She said the masses were today bearing the brunt of agreements signed by the past rulers in terms of gas and electricity tariff, as the government was bound to purchase costly gas.

“Those, who are responsible for the difficulties of people are today shedding crocodile tears. These agreements were not signed by the incumbent government, which finds itself trapped in landmines. It is not easy to keep masses away from the impact of these landmines,” she quipped.

The meeting decided to approve establishment of a permanent CCI secretariat in Islamabad.

To a question, she said Ehsanullah Ehsan issue was not discussed in the meeting and parried a part of a question about the absence of MQM-P Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui in the meeting.

A committee, she noted, had been formed to suggest proposals, SOPs and TORs for facilitation of pilgrims to Iran, Iraq and Syria. She said on the pattern of Malaysia, a Haj fund would be established to facilitate intending Hajis.

About the PSL, she welcomed the players, who had gathered for the major event and hoped it would send a message of peace to the world.