PM directs provinces to constitute finance commissions

ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed all provinces to constitute Provincial Finance Commissions to bring the less-developed areas at par with developed areas. This was stated by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz while briefing media persons after the federal cabinet meeting was held with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair here on Tuesday. Fraz said that Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umer will supervise the matters pertaining to Provincial Finance Commissions in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The functional PFCs will help the government bring prosperity in backward areas of the provinces, he added. The minister said that Prime Minister has expressed the government’s determination to ensure transparency in the Senate elections. He said that votes are traded in the Senate polls. He added that two provinces have mostly raised voice against Senate polls. Regarding the appointment of the heads of the national institutions, the information minister said that the past governments had failed to devise a proper mechanism for making deputations in the government institutions. It is not an easy task to bring improvements in a system, he said, adding the government is working on developing a system to streamline the appointments of heads in government institutions. The information minister said the government is working on establishing Hajj Fund on the pattern of Malaysia model. Commenting on Sugar inquiry report, he said its main purpose is to ensure provision of sugar to the consumers at low price instead of defaming someone. He said the federal cabinet will take decisions for K-Electric and gas prices in its next session. He said that the cabinet reviewed all decisions taken in the previous meetings and discussed various suggestions related to implementation of the delayed decisions. Shibli Faraz said the people are being provided solar stoves in Gilgit-Baltistan to prevent deforestation in the region. He said the meeting was apprised that a total of 11,376 Pakistanis are imprisoned in various countries. The Prime Minister directed all Pakistan embassies to provide legal support to these prisoners and contact the concerned governments to ensure their release. Shibli Faraz said the federal cabinet has so far taken 1,759 decisions during its 93 sessions. The relevant authorities started implementation on 1,579 decisions, 28 decisions are delayed and 46 are due to be implemented.” He said that many projects for health sectors are under consideration for the construction of hospitals under the public-private partnership. The information minister criticised the opposition, saying that the political parties have neither brought forward any agenda nor an alternative programme. He added that the opposition has been trying to create a situation of uncertainty for the last two weeks. Faraz said that the opposition leaders are fully aware of their wrongdoings and they are trying to prevent themselves from the accountability. The opposition leaders should forget to compare themselves with Imran Khan as they only want to save their supremos from accountability instead of working for the betterment of the country, he further said.“Coronavirus pandemic has shaken the economies of developed countries. The national economy is in a quite better position if it is compared with other countries amid pandemic crisis. The country has recorded an increase in foreign investment, remittance and exports,” he said. The information minister said, “We have launched a housing project for the construction of low-cost houses for the poor people. We are also trying to ensure supplies of sugar on lowest rates across the country.”