Govt working on plan for reforms in different sectors: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that the federal government, in collaboration is devising a  plan for reforms across various sectors of the economy.

In his address to the Federal Cabinet meeting held in Islamabad today, he highlighted that the plan focuses primarily on the power sector, agriculture, the digitalization of the FBR, commerce, and trade.

The Prime Minister noted that the recent initiative by the Punjab government to provide relief to electricity consumers using between 200 and 500 units is funded entirely from the provincial budget, with no financial input from the federal government.Cabinet Decides to Deregulate Prices of Non-Essential Drugs

He expressed disappointment over the circulating rumors concerning this initiative, emphasizing that relief measures should not be politicized. Instead, he encouraged all provincial governments to follow the example and implement similar relief measures for the public.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the federal government is committed to aiding citizens nationwide. He pointed out the 50 billion rupees subsidy program for electricity, which supports consumers using up to 200 units of electricity from July to September. He added that this relief package benefits approximately 86 percent of electricity users across the country.

Shehbaz Sharif also mentioned a 70 billion rupees project, a joint effort between the federal and Balochistan governments, aimed at converting 28,000 tube wells in the province to solar energy. He noted that the federal government contributes 55 billion rupees to this project.

Discussing measures to stabilize the economy, the Prime Minister highlighted that inflation has dropped to its lowest rate in the past three years, reducing from 38 percent to 11 percent. He assured that efforts will continue to bring it down further.

Regarding the recent damage caused by monsoon rains across different parts of the country, the Prime Minister commended the NDMA’s coordination and efforts in managing the situation.

During the meeting, the Cabinet also offered prayers for the martyrs who lost their lives in the ongoing war against terrorism and those who perished in recent floods and rains.