Shibli says could not bring price-hike down

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Thursday said now was the time to pursue the politics of serving the masses as there was no more room for politics of self-interest, corruption, loot and plunder. He said the present government overcame many challenges during the last two years and put the country on the path of development with the revival of economy despite the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.

He was addressing a press conference flanked by Adviser to PM on Institutional Reforms Dr Ishrat Hussain, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul, Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Shaharyar Afridi and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan. Shibli Faraz said Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to inform the nation what his government had done during the past two years. He said the government was still facing various challenges, including price-hike, hoarding and smuggling, which would be addressed as the prime minister’s topmost priority was to reduce prices of the essential commodities. The minister assured that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would implement its complete manifesto by the end of its five-year term.

Shibli said the priority number one, two and three of Prime Minister Imran Khan was to bring down prices of essential commodities and provide relief to masses. “To bring down rates of essential commodities, including flour and sugar, is our responsibility and we will deliver,” he emphasised.

The minister said giving relief to the people was the government’s top priority and the concrete steps taken by it had started yielding positive results. Imran Khan was the guarantor of new generation’s future, he remarked.

Shibli said that after the 2018 general elections, a new era of politics started as Imran Khan’s 22-year struggle was for a specific purpose.

Replying to media persons’ questions, Shibli Faraz said the government had paid about 80 percent of outstanding dues of media houses and the remaining 20 percent would be paid within a couple of weeks. He said the government believes in freedom of expression and any impression of restrictions on the media was incorrect. The minister said the institutions run the country and that was why the government was reforming and restructuring them so that they could meet the modern day demands. He said the past regimes had ruined the national institutions by inducting untrained people on political grounds.

Shibli said that with the revival of economic activity, the media houses would get advertisements which would be helpful in paying outstanding salaries of their employees. He said a new digital media policy was being prepared and deficiencies in the cyber crime laws would be removed.