Thursday, 21 April, 2022 I 19 Ramzan, 1443 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XII No 293 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Sharif tellS cabinet to brace for tough timeS
ISLAMABAD
P
staff report
rime minister Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday told a maiden meeting of his cabinet to roll up their sleeves to meet the rising challenges of inflation, unemployment, poverty and load-shedding, and turn the desperation into an opportunity for progress and public service delivery. The prime minister believed that their dedicated and sincere efforts could turn the tide and make the country cope with the challenges successfully. He congratulated the cabinet members, coming from different political parties of the ruling coalition, said the federal cabinet comprised seasoned politicians with vast experience and competence having a huge struggle to their credit. He said the government came
into being consequent to a no-confidence motion against the former prime minister. The incumbent government is based on a coalition that was being applauded as well as criticised. He expressed the hope that despite representing their own political parties, the coalition members would move on setting aside their personal biases with just one aim to serve the masses. He also reiterated his resolve for making untiring efforts to come up to the people’s expectations. “i call this a war cabinet as we are fighting against inflation, unemployment and poverty which we inherited from the previous government. The previous government had badly failed,” Sharif remarked. The prime minister said though the cabinet formation faced a bit of delay, yet if was done consisting of very competent and experi-
enced members. He said the cabinet members would be briefed about the loadshedding and the factors behind it which would follow the decision making by the cabinet. He urged the cabinet to pay attention to the issues faced by the federating units, particularly Balochistan. recounting the challenges, the prime minister said the country was under an immense debt burden but it was upon the incumbent government to overcome the challenges despite having limited resources. “Today, we have to face the challenge collectively and should not evade any sacrifice. We will have to respond to propaganda through facts, which would ultimately bury the lies,” he remarked. recalling the immense victimisation of all opposition parties during the previous government, the prime minister claimed corruption was rampant during the last three and half years. Citing the successful journey of the development of Germany and Japan, the prime minister said despite being hit by the second World War, both the countries bounced back and achieved excellence just on the basis of their struggle. He also referred to the teachings of the Quran, Prophet muhammad (PBUH), as well as muhammad Ali Jinnah, advising the followers to put in their best to achieve excellence and change their fate. Sharif told the cabinet that besides the politicians, the bureaucracy also faced huge pressure from the previous government which wanted them to act as an approver against that time’s opposition. He said the government machinery including bureaucracy, doctors, engineers and others needed the backing and encouragement of the government to make them perform better.
IMF asks Pakistan to end fuel subsidy, exemptions to revive loan program ISLAMABAD Ghulam abbas
As the multiparty coalition government is going to approach the international monetary Fund (imF) for revival of the derailed loan program, the international lender has asked Pakistan to take various stiff measures including ending fuel subsidy, exemptions while levying further taxes to get the next tranche of the loan program. Talking to a group of journalists in the ministry of finance here on Wednesday, Finance minister miftah ismail indicated that his government would meet the condition of the imF regarding ending the fuel subsidy given by the previous government besides making other immediate arrangements. He, however, said that he would try to convince the Fund regarding taking tax measures as there are only two months ahead of the next budget. He pledged to pursue policies that will meet the demands of the imF. “i will go to the imF and we will get it restored,” said ismail. “The government will do the required belt-tightening. We will get budget discipline back on track.” While leaving for Washington to meet with imF officials on Wednesday, he was hoping that the programme, which was
renegotiated by former prime minister imran Khan and ex-finance minister Shaukat Tarin — would resume once again. He said that the imF wanted from the present government to increase the prices of petroleum products as well as to impose taxes and petroleum levy, do away with the industrial amnesty scheme, reduce the circular debt of the power sector, increase electricity tariffs and fiscal savings. He said that the imF has said that if these conditions are met, the program will be revived and added that he would try to persuade the imF to revive the program and immediately release the next installment. He said that all the demands cannot be implemented at once but can be done gradually. The imF will be told that with two months left in the current financial year, imposing taxes would not be possible whereas an increase in the rate of personal income tax would not yield any increase in revenue. He said that personally he was not supportive of an increase in the tax rate. He said that withdrawal of the amnesty scheme is possible and the government has to increase the prices of petroleum products but any decision to this effect would be taken by the Prime minister with minimal burden on the people..
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