Tag: PM Shehbaz

  • ‘Will never compromise on defence and security of Pakistan’: PM Shehbaz

    ‘Will never compromise on defence and security of Pakistan’: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed commitment to restoring the role of provinces in the National Action Plan (NAP), which the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had allegedly ignored, in a meeting on 26 June.

    The 20-point NAP was drawn up after the December 2014 terrorist attack on the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar.

    Sharif was of the view that the increase in terrorism was due to the ignorance of the NAP.

    “This role of the provinces will be restored that remained missing during the last four years,” said the PM.

    “Ensuring law and order is essential for restoring the national economy and development in the country. The fight against terrorism would continue till its elimination,” said Shehbaz. He further pledged to never compromise on the defence and security of Pakistan.

    He said that the entire country was united in the effort to eradicate terrorism, standing behind the armed forces and law-enforcement agencies.

    The meeting also reviewed the steps taken to eliminate the source of terror financing and relevant laws.

  • Pakistan pushed into darkness due to Europe’s decision to cut off Russian fuel

    Pakistan pushed into darkness due to Europe’s decision to cut off Russian fuel

    The European attempt to abandon Russian oil is intended to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. It’s also wreaking havoc thousands of miles away, throwing Pakistan into darkness, destabilising one regime, and jeopardising the country’s new leadership’s stability.

    According to Bloomberg, Pakistan invested heavily in liquefied natural gas and inked long-term contracts with Italian and Qatari suppliers. Some of those suppliers have now defaulted, although continuing to sell into the more lucrative European market, putting Pakistan in the very situation it hoped to avoid.

    The country took particular precautions a decade ago to protect itself from the sorts of price increases that are currently shaking the market.

    Last month, the government spent about $100 million on a single LNG shipment from the spot market to avert outages during the Eid holiday, a record for the cash-strapped country.

    The country’s LNG costs could reach $5 billion in the fiscal year ending in July, more than double what they were a year ago. Even still, the government is powerless to protect its citizens: the IMF is in talks to bail out the country on the condition that it reduces fuel and energy subsidies.

    Outages lasting more than 12 hours

    Parts of Pakistan are currently suffering scheduled blackouts lasting more than 12 hours, reducing the ability of air conditioning to provide respite during the current heat wave. The former prime minister continues to gather enormous audiences to demonstrations and marches, exacerbating voters’ discontent with 13.8 per cent inflation. The hosts of prime-time talk shows frequently discuss how Pakistan will obtain the petroleum it requires and how much it would have to spend.

    The administration introduced a fresh set of energy-saving measures last week. Civil servants were relieved of their normal Saturday shifts, and the security budget was slashed by half.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif remarked in an April tweet before of the Eid holiday, “I am acutely aware of the sufferings people are facing”. That same week, he ordered his government to resume purchasing costly overseas natural gas shipments.

    He also warned earlier this month that they don’t have the money to keep importing gas from other countries.

    Rerouted supply to power plants

    There will be more than just outages as a result of the supply shortage. The government has rerouted existing natural gas supply to power plants, causing fertiliser manufacturers to be shortchanged. This approach could jeopardise the next harvest, resulting in even higher food prices the following year. Backup generators are being used by cellphone towers to keep service going during the blackouts, but they, too, are running out of fuel.

    There’s not much hope in the future. LNG prices have risen by over 1,000 per cent in the previous two years, first due to post-pandemic demand and subsequently due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia is Europe’s largest natural gas supplier, and the possibility of supply disruptions pushed spot rates to an all-time high in March.

    Increasing LNG demand in Europe

    Meanwhile, Europe is increasing its need for LNG. Europe’s LNG imports have increased by 50 per cent so far this year compared to the same period last year, and show no signs of slowing down. As they cut ties with President Vladimir Putin’s regime over the crisis in Ukraine, European Union policymakers created a plan to considerably increase LNG deliveries as an alternative to Russian gas.

    Floating import terminals are being built at a breakneck pace in countries like Germany and the Netherlands, with the first ones set to open in the next six months.

    “Europe is draining LNG from the rest of the globe,” according to Steve Hill, executive vice president of Shell Plc, the world’s largest LNG trader. “However, this means that less LNG will be sent to developing markets”.

    Pakistan was formerly thought to be the LNG industry’s bright future. Demand for the fuel had peaked in developed markets by the mid-2010s. However, technological developments had reduced the costs and time it took to build import terminals, and new gas sources had reduced the cost of the fuel itself.

    Poor nations could finally contemplate the gasoline at the new, lower prices. Suppliers flocked to these new markets, and when Pakistan published a request for long-term LNG supply, over a dozen businesses competed for the contract.

    Pakistan chose Italy’s Gunvor Group Ltd to sell LNG to the country for the next decade in 2017. The terms were favourable at the time, and the prices were lower than those of a comparable arrangement struck with Qatar the previous year.

    Delay in supplies

    However, due to the rise in European gas prices, the two suppliers have postponed more than a dozen shipments slated for delivery between October 2021 and June 2022.

    According to Bruce Robertson, an expert at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, such defaults are nearly unheard of in the LNG market. Bloomberg spoke with traders and industry insiders who couldn’t recall the last time so many cargoes were rejected without being linked to a big outage at an export terminal.

    Eni and Gunvor stated they had to cancel because they were experiencing their own supply problems and didn’t have enough LNG to export to Pakistan. When exporters confront such difficulties, they typically replace deliveries by purchasing a consignment on the spot market, but Eni and Gunvor have not done so.

    Vendors are generally averse to cancelling orders. It harms the company connection and is often extremely costly. In established markets, fines for “failure to deliver” might be as high as 100 per cent.

    “It’s quite rare for LNG suppliers to renege on long-term contracts beyond force majeure occurrences,” says Valery Chow, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie Ltd.

    Pakistan’s contracts stipulated a lower cancellation penalty of 30 per cent, most probably in exchange for cheaper overall costs. The European spot market prices are currently high enough to more than compensate for the penalties.

    Pakistan’s $12 million LNG supply contract

    As per sources, an LNG supply to Pakistan for delivery in May under a long-term contract would cost $12 per million British thermal units. In comparison, spot cargoes to Europe for May delivery were trading for more than $30. Eni and Gunvor have kept their promises to customers in the region.

    As a result, Pakistan is back to square one, in a weaker negotiation position than before. After a dispute with Pakistan’s army over a variety of problems, including his management of energy supply and the greater economy, Prime Minister Imran Khan was deposed in April.

    Shehbaz Sharif, the new prime minister, has directed the state-owned importer to obtain the petroleum at any cost in order to end the debilitating blackouts. It’s also attempting to reach new long-term LNG purchase agreements, albeit the conditions will almost probably be harsher than six years ago.

    High risk of default

    The cost is having its own cascading repercussions. The government is now “at high risk of default,” according to a paper published last month by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Moody’s Investors Service reduced Pakistan’s outlook from stable to negative, citing financial worries including a potential IMF bailout delay.

    Pakistan’s dependency on LNG, as well as its suppliers’ tendency to default, has exacerbated the country’s energy dilemma. Pakistan isn’t alone in this regard. Emerging economies all around the world are trying to meet their residents’ requirements while staying within their budget restrictions.

    It has also prompted them to purchase electricity from Russia, reducing the impact of Europe’s attempts to isolate them.

    Pakistan seeks LNG supply contract with Russian companies

    According to reports, Pakistan is also looking at long-term LNG supply agreements with Russian companies. India has already increased its purchases from Russia, and this trend is likely to continue. The government has directed power plants to purchase fuel from overseas in response to the scorching summer heat.

    Other cash-strapped importers, such as Bangladesh and Myanmar, are likely to suffer as a result of Pakistan’s problems. Bangladesh’s state-owned utility recently purchased the country’s most expensive LNG shipments on the spot market to keep the grids functioning and industry stocked, while Myanmar has stopped importing LNG for the past year owing to price increases.

    Other nations, such as India and Ghana, may be prompted to reconsider long-held plans to increase their reliance on super-chilled fuel as a result of Europe’s major change. Instead, governments would increase their reliance on polluting coal or oil, thwarting efforts to meet ambitious emission reduction objectives this decade.

  • Govt unveils Rs9.5 trillion budget 2022-23, focused on sustainable growth

    Govt unveils Rs9.5 trillion budget 2022-23, focused on sustainable growth

    The federal budget for 2022-23 has been revealed with a total outlay of Rs9,502 billion. It includes measures for sustainable economic growth, industrial and agricultural development, and aid for the poor ones.

    Finance Minister, Miftah Ismail began his address by claiming that the PTI administration had left Pakistan’s economy in shambles and harmed investor confidence by often switching finance ministers and monetary policies.

    He slammed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, claiming that he never cared about the poor, claiming that “keeping an eye on potato and tomato prices is not a PM’s duty”.

    He claims that the governing party took control of the country despite the fact that it will have to make difficult decisions to save the economy, which will affect their individual parties’ appeal, but they chose to put the country’s interests ahead of their own.

    Relief for working class and the poor

    He claimed that the budget is geared at providing greater relief to the working class and the poor, as opposed to the wealthy, because the working class prefers to buy local products over foreign ones, boosting the economy.

    Budget 2022-23, according to Miftah Ismail, will concentrate on offering facilities to farmers planting crops that supply cooking oil, such as corn and sunflower, so that the country does not need to import palm oil, which is at an all-time high in the worldwide market.

    Slashing furniture, stationary expenses in govt offices

    Considering the current economic downturn, the administration has decided to restrict operational expenditures to the absolute minimum, and that new furniture and stationary for government offices will be completely prohibited. Other than obligatory diplomatic visits, all government-sponsored foreign trips will be prohibited.

    Education

    The government has set aside Rs65 billion for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in the current budget. In addition, the HEC has been granted Rs44 billion for development programmes, which is 67 per cent more than the previous year.

    Miftah Ismail said that this is a demonstration of our commitment to the youth. We are encouraging provinces to completely fulfill their obligations in terms of higher education promotion in the coming years, he said. The HEC budget includes 5,000 scholarships for Balochistan and tribal district students. He added that a unique scholarship programme has been introduced for Balochistan’s coastal communities.

    The Finance Minister said that 100,000 laptops would be provided to students around the country on affordable instalments. Funds have also been set aside for the purchase of cutting-edge equipment to improve engineering and technology education.

    15 per cent Increase in govt employees’ salaries

    In Budget 2022-23, Miftah Ismail announced a 15 per cent increase in government employee salaries, as well as the merger of adhoc allowances.

    He said that the tax on savings certificates, pensioners’ benefit accounts, and martyrs’ family assistance accounts had been reduced from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

    Small merchants will be subject to a new fixed income and sales tax regime, according to the Minister. Electricity bills would be used to collect taxes ranging from Rs3,000 to Rs10,000 under this method. This will be a final agreement, and FBR will have no right to inquire about the tax.

    According to Miftah Ismail, a proposal has been made to increase initial depreciation rates for industries and other businesses from 50 per cent to 100 per cent in the first year.

    Furthermore, he stated that any tariffs imposed on industrial units during the import of raw materials will be considered adjustable in order to protect the business community’s working capital.

    New industrial policy

    He stated that an industrial policy is being implemented in partnership with the Asian Development Bank in order to boost the country’s industrial base. He stated that the Prime Minister has directed that all exporter claims be resolved as soon as possible.

    A sum of Rs40.5 billion is due to them right now, and we will pay it as soon as possible. Regardless of financial challenges, sales tax refunds are issued swiftly. Industrial feeders have been spared from load-shedding, according to him, in order to ensure that the industrial sector has uninterrupted power supply.

    A new strategy for promoting investment in the country is being developed which aims to provide an enabling atmosphere for investors by eliminating the lengthy procedure. The government will overhaul the dispute settlement structure to make it easier for domestic and foreign investors.

    Boosting agriculture sector

    Talking about the agriculture sector, Finance Minister stated that Rs21 billion had been set aside to boost agriculture and livestock productivity. He stated that the Ministry of Food Security, in consultation with the Planning Commission and the provinces, has developed a three-year growth strategy. This plan aims to increase agri-production, increase farmer prosperity, and promote smart agriculture and self-sufficiency.

    National Youth Commission

    The Finance Minister also announced the development of a National Youth Commission to help youth realise their full potential. Various plans for the youth, he noted, have been offered. He stated that a coordinated strategy is being implemented to strengthen the role of educated youth in the growth of the country. According to him, the youth employment initiative will create over two million job chances.

    He added that a scheme to foster youth entrepreneurship will be launched, under which interest-free loans of up to Rs500,000 and loans of up to Rs25 million will be made available on easy payments. He stated that in this lending arrangement, a 25 per cent quota has been been aside for women. He stated that women will be given precedence in hi-tech training in order to achieve economic empowerment. Youth development centres would be set up over the country, he said.

    A green youth movement would be launched to involve young people in environmental initiatives. Funds will be set aside to distribute laptops on a merit-based and instalment basis, as well as the construction of 250 mini-sports stadiums across the country. Miftah Ismail stated that an innovation league would be established in order to improve the youth’s potential. He said that a talent quest and sports drive programme will be developed for youngsters between the ages of eleven and twenty-five.

    Reduction in govt spending

    According to the Finance Minister, the current government’s top focus is austerity. This budget includes a reduction in government spending, and we are taking meaningful moves in that direction. He stated that automobile purchases will be completely prohibited. Apart from development initiatives, procurement of furniture and other products would be prohibited. Cabinet members and government officials will have their gasoline quotas lowered by 40 per cent. There will also be a ban on international tours paid for by the government, with the exception of the most important ones.

    A medium-term macroeconomic framework has been established to put the economy on a road of development, according to the Finance Minister. He emphasised his belief that by implementing this framework, we will be able to steer the economy in the right way. Our biggest problem, he remarked, is to expand without a current account deficit. As a result, a minimum of 5 per cent will be obtained without disrupting the balance.

    Improved fiscal and monetary policy

    He said that the GDP will increase from Rs67 trillion to Rs78.3 trillion in the coming fiscal year and the government is attempting to lower inflation through improved fiscal and monetary policy. During the next fiscal year, inflation will be decreased by 11.5 per cent.

    He predicted that the tax-to-GDP ratio will rise to 9.2 per cent in the coming fiscal year, up from 8.6 per cent now. He noted that in 2017-18, we had kept this ratio at 11.1 per cent. He stated that the overall deficit, which is currently at 8.6 per cent, will be steadily reduced. In the coming fiscal year, this will be reduced to 4.9 per cent. Similarly, the overall primary balance, which presently stands at -2.4 per cent of GDP, will be reduced to 0.19 per cent.

    Import and export

    Imports, which are estimated to be $76 billion this fiscal year, would be lowered to $70 billion the following fiscal year, according to the Finance Minister. Exports are currently $31.3 billion, but will increase to $35 billion in the coming fiscal year. The current account deficit will be decreased from -4.1 per cent of GDP to -2.2 per cent of GDP.

    Remittances, which are predicted to continue at $31.1 billion this fiscal year, are expected to grow to $33.2 billion next fiscal year.

    Key allocations in Budget 2022-23

    Rs1,523 billion allocated for defence

    Rs800 billion allocated for Public Sector Development Program (PSDP)

    Rs699 billion allocated for targeted subsidy

    Rs364 billion allocated for Benazir Income Support Program (BISP)

    Rs64 billion allocated for Higher Education Program

    Rs25.99 billion allocated for Atomic Energy Commission

    Rs24 billion allocated for Health

    Rs21 billion allocated for Benazir Nashunuma Program

    Rs11 billion allocated for Agriculture

    Rs10.12 allocated billion for food security 

    Rs9.60 billion allocated for Climate Change

    Rs530 billion allocated for pension funds

    Rs3.46 billion allocated for Maritime Affairs

    Key announcements

    The GDP growth target has been set at 5 per cent.

    Remittances are expected to total $33.2 billion.

    Inflation will be held at 11.5 per cent.

    FBR has set a revenue target of Rs7,004 billion.

    Non-tax revenue objective is set at $2 billion.

    The goal set for imports is $70 billion.

    The target for exports is $35 billion.

    Government employees will have a 15 per cent raise in pay.

    Under a new employment scheme, youngsters will be eligible for interest-free loans up to Rs500,000.

    Distributors and manufacturers will no longer be subject to an 8 per cent withholding tax.

    On national saving systems, the profit rate dropped from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

    Cinema owners and film makers are exempt from income tax.

    On cars with engines larger than 1600cc, the advance tax will be raised.

    Pharmaceutical materials are exempted from any customs duties.

    This is a developing story..

  • PM Shehbaz reduces fares for Lahore Metro Bus Service

    PM Shehbaz reduces fares for Lahore Metro Bus Service

    Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif has announced a fare cut for the Lahore Metro Bus Service. He said that the fares had been lowered in order to provide help to daily commuters in the face of Pakistan’s economic crisis.

    PM Shehbaz revealed this at the Indus Hospital’s opening ceremony. He claimed that due to the “past government’s mismanagement,” the government has no choice but to announce fuel price hikes.

    According to PM Shehbaz, the government would cut public transportation costs. The government believes that by doing so, individuals will be more likely to take public transportation, resulting in fuel savings.

    The Prime Minister declared free metro rides for residents of the twin cities in Ramadan. The move was warmly received and appreciated by commuters on a daily basis.

    Multan, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad all have Metro Bus Service. However, the government has only announced relief for Metro users in Lahore, and it is unclear whether it will extend to other cities.

    The current Metro Bus rate is Rs30, but following Prime Minister Shehbaz’s announcement of a 50 per cent reduction, the ticket would be available for Rs15.

  • PM Shehbaz directs power authorities to reduce load-shedding to two hours

    PM Shehbaz directs power authorities to reduce load-shedding to two hours

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif instructed the power authorities on June 4 to reduce load-shedding throughout the country to two hours, alerting that he wanted results rather than explanations.

    As per a report from ARY News, PM Shehbaz Sharif, who presided over a meeting to resolve the challenge of hours-long unexpected load-shedding in the country, asked power division officials and federal ministers to do whatever was essential to reduce load-shedding to two hours per day.

    While dismissing explanations for the duration of load-shedding, PM Shehbaz stated that officials should minimise the sufferings of the general public rather than furnishing justifications.

    “I only wanted to provide relief to the masses and will not accept the ongoing situation of load-shedding,” a defiant PM stated that he will not compromise and will not allow any minister or official to relax until the problem is resolved.

    He instructed officials to work around the clock to bring power to businesses. The prime minister also aimed the finance minister to secure all necessary resources to address the problem. It is worth noting that Pakistan’s generation capacity has deteriorated, with the power disparity reaching over 7,000 megawatts.

    As per power division sources, the country’s electricity demand has risen to 27,200 megawatts due to the hot weather. The length of unannounced load-shedding across the country has also been elevated to 14 hours. “There is a nationwide power production of 20,000MW, resulting in a shortfall of 7200 MW,” they added.

    According to reliable sources, the country presently acquires 4,635 megawatts of electricity from hydropower, 1,060 megawatts from thermal power plants, and 9,677 megawatts from IPPs. Considering the findings, 3 key power companies have shuttered 16 power plants in Pakistan largely owing to a shortage of fuel.

  • ‘We have criticised army as well not for our political gains like Khan’: Maryam Nawaz

    ‘We have criticised army as well not for our political gains like Khan’: Maryam Nawaz

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Thursday has said that they too have criticised the establishment in the past but that was never for any political gains. Her comments are relevant to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s recent remarks on the establishment and the division of Pakistan into three parts.

    “We have criticised the army as well but not for our political gains like Imran Khan but our remarks were to direct the establishment towards the right direction,” said Maryam.

    ‘Who introduced the ‘three-piece’ ideology?’

    “Sometimes you say Kashmir should be divided into three parts and now you are saying Pakistan will be divided into three parts,” said Maryam Nawaz.

    Maryam asked Khan who introduced him to the ideology of the country’s division into “three pieces”.

    “Whose ideology is it? Did Zac Goldsmith give you this ideology or Israel? There will be 300 pieces of the one who said such a thing and his party,” she said.

    Does he have any role in making Pakistan an atomic power?

    Maryam went on to say that the PTI chairman failed within 30 days of assuming the office of prime minister and was exposed within 30 days after being ousted.

    She asked under which right did Imran Khan talk about Pakistan’s atomic programme. “Does he have any role in making Pakistan an atomic power?”

    “[Politicians] have borne exiles and life sentences for Pakistan. [Zulfiqar Ali] Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto were martyred but the voice of Pakistan Khappay [we want Pakistan] was heard,” she said.

    Khan says Pakistan ke teen hissay hongay, Shehbaz warns him not to cross limits

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif warned Imran Khan on Thursday, saying that his recent remarks on Pakistan make him “unfit for public office”.

    Khan in an interview with Sami Ibrahim for Bol News programme ‘Tajzia’ said that if Pakistan goes bankrupt, then the country will have to face denuclearisation, predicting that the country would then be divided into three parts.

  • ‘Produce missing persons or appear before court’: IHC sends notice to Musharraf, IK, PM Shehbaz

    ‘Produce missing persons or appear before court’: IHC sends notice to Musharraf, IK, PM Shehbaz

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the government to issue notices to former President General Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and the current PM Shehbaz Sharif for following an “undeclared tacit approval of the policy regarding enforced disappearances.”

    The court directed that the federal government shall produce the missing persons before the court on June 17 or justify the failure of the state to effectively investigate.

    IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Athar Minallah said, “Musharraf and all other successor chief executives [PM Shehbaz and Khan] shall submit their respective affidavits explaining why the court may not order proceedings against them for alleged subversion of the Constitution in the context of undeclared tacit approval of the policy regarding enforced disappearances and thus putting national security at risk by allowing the involvement of law enforcement agencies, particularly the armed forces.”

    The court also noted that the involvement or even a perception of the involvement of the armed forces in acts “amounting to a violation of human rights and freedom of the citizens weakens and undermines the rule of law.”

    On Sunday, the high court issued a 15-page order in a case related to the disappearance of journalist Mudassar Mahmood Naro and five other people after their petitions were in their final phases, but the federal government requested an “adjournment.”

    The court also noted the fact that how the Pakistani media ignores this form of abuse and that reporting on the matter is not a priority. Moreover, the court also expressed dissatisfaction over the role of parliament in regard to the disappearances. It said that “they are the most important and crucial organs of the state but nothing has been placed on record to indicate that they may have adopted a proactive role to fulfill their Constitutional obligations.”

    Journalist Mudassar has been missing since 2018 from Khyber Pakhtunkhua.

  • PPP’s Gilani becomes leader of house in Senate

    PPP’s Gilani becomes leader of house in Senate

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader and former Prime Minister (PM) Yusuf Raza Gilani has taken charge as the leader of the House in the Senate today (Monday).

    Earlier, Gilani contested for the slot of Senate chairman against Sadiq Sanjrani but lost. Gilani has been appointed to fill the slot by the current PM Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Senator Dr Shehzad Waseem will now become the leader of the Opposition.

    The National Assembly (NA) session has resumed today and it has been indicated that a resolution of condemnation against PTI Chairman Imran Khan for using obnoxious language against Maryam Nawaz in his Multan rally would be tabled in the two houses separately by women lawmakers.

    According to The News that PM Shehbaz Sharif will avail the sitting of the upper house to make an important policy statement on the political and economic situation in the country.

    In January, Gilani stepped down as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate after his absence led to the passage of the State Bank (Amendment) Bill, 2021, in the Upper House of Parliament.

  • PM wants collective efforts to eradicate polio, three cases in two months

    PM wants collective efforts to eradicate polio, three cases in two months

    Pakistan reported its third polio case this year, a few months after Pakistan marked one year of being polio-free.

    Addressing a meeting of the National Task Force on Polio Eradication in Islamabad on Wednesday, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif urged for a concerted effort to eradicate polio in Pakistan. The meeting was informed that three polio cases were reported in North Waziristan during the months of April and May this year but no polio case was reported in the period between February 2021 and March 2022. PM Shehbaz expressed his concern about recent polio cases in the country and stated that the federal government will provide all available assistance and cooperation in the fight against the illness.

    He said that all parties, including federal departments, provincial governments, and international organisations, had contributed significantly to the country’s polio eradication campaign. PM kickstarted a polio campaign today (May 18).

    Read more- Pakistan reports two polio cases, girl and boy paralysed

    Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio has not yet been eradicated. To formally eradicate the disease, a nation must be polio-free for three consecutive years. Nigeria was declared free from wild polio in August 2020.

  • Cabinet approves forming a committee to amend NAB law

    Cabinet approves forming a committee to amend NAB law

    A cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif approved the formation of a committee headed by the Law Minister to amend the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law.

    During the meeting, it was pointed out that “NAB’s black law” was used only for political revenge, harassment of government officials and the business community.

    The committee will also include personalities from the legal fraternity, banking sector, bureaucracy and other fields.

    Other than this, PM informed the cabinet that the country is facing a severe heatwave for which a special task force has been formed under the Ministry of Climate Change.

    This task force will also take steps to address climate change so that the threats to Pakistan can be addressed in a timely manner.

    Moreover, Rs 52 billion has been reserved for the Petroleum Division.

    

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