ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday hailed a relief package announced by the Punjab provincial government for electricity consumers in Pakistan’s most populous province, Sharif’s office said.
Sharif’s elder brother and three-time former PM, Nawaz Sharif, announced Rs14 reduction in per unit price of electricity for consumers using up to 500 units a month in bills for the months of August and September.
The announcement drew mixed reactions from people, with some saying the government should permanently reduce the tariff and others calling for equal relief across the South Asian country.
“The relief of 14 rupees per unit for consumers who consume up to 500 units of electricity is undoubtedly a public-friendly initiative of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the Chief Minister of Punjab,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement by his office.
“Work is underway for a long-term solution for reduction in electricity prices and all possible efforts are being made in this regard.”
Pakistan has witnessed protests over inflation and electricity bills in recent weeks, at which protesters demanded the government reduce power tariffs and revoke additional taxes introduced in the last federal budget, amid rising costs-of living in the South Asian nation.
The government raised power prices by 26 percent during the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, before tacking on another 20 percent increase on July 13. Officials say the increases were needed to meet conditions set by the International Monetary Fund for a $7 billion loan deal reached last month.
The government has also added a confusing bevy of taxes on top of the base price, adding up to a bill that has more than doubled for some Pakistanis.
PM hails Punjab government’s announcement of relief package for power consumers
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PM hails Punjab government’s announcement of relief package for power consumers
- The Punjab government announced Rs14 cut in per unit price of electricity for August and September for consumers using up to 500 units a month
- The announcement drew mixed reactions, with some saying government should permanently reduce tariff and others calling for equal relief nationwide
Pakistan PM orders strategy to improve project execution as multilateral lenders propose reforms
- Shehbaz Sharif says he will personally lead a steering committee to speed up priority projects
- Four working groups proposed to streamline approvals, procurement, land issues and staffing
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed officials to draw up a detailed strategy to improve the planning and execution of development projects, saying he would personally chair a steering committee aimed at ensuring timely and transparent completion of priority schemes.
The move came during a meeting where the World Bank and Asian Development Bank presented recommendations to the government on strengthening project implementation.
According to the prime minister’s office, participants received a briefing that said project approvals involve multiple steps and need simplification, while timely procurement and better readiness tools could also help accelerate implementation.
“National projects of critical importance must be completed transparently and on time,” Sharif told officials, according to the statement. “This is our priority.”
He said the federal and provincial steering committee on development-sector reforms would be headed by him.
The statement said four working groups were also proposed during the meeting: one to review approval and preparation processes, a second to modernize procurement, a third to address land acquisition and resettlement challenges, and a fourth to focus on human-resource alignment and staff deployment for development schemes.
Sharif thanked the World Bank and Asian Development Bank for their support and said development projects must be aligned with the objectives of Pakistan’s Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) and provincial Annual Development Plans (ADPs).
The meeting was attended by senior federal ministers, provincial representatives, senior civil servants and the country directors of both multilateral lenders.
