n PM unveils big relief for flood-hit people n Shehbaz enhances fuel adjustment charges exemption limit from 200 to 300 units n Proposes to also waive off people’s power bills in flood-affected areas, besides exempting farmers from ‘abiyana’ n Announces to launch solar programme for production of 10,000 MW as a cost-effective mode n Says Pakistan is not destined to become Sri Lanka n Terms Imran Khan ‘biggest enemy’ of Pakistan for attempting to default country.
ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif yesterday enhanced the limit of the waiver on fuel adjustment charges in electricity bills from the existing 200 to 300 units consumption per month.
Addressing the members of national and provincial assemblies belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz here, the PM said that the step was aimed at facilitating the common man already facing the brunt of inflation.
He proposed to also waive off the electricity bills of the consumers in flood-affected areas, besides exempting the farmers from ‘abiyana’ (water charges on crop irrigation).
PM Shehbaz also announced to launch in near future a solar programme for the production of 10,000 mega-watt of electricity as a cost-effective mode across the country.
He said that the solar programme would generate electricity at the rate of Rs9 per unit, saving billions spent on expensive electricity production. He lauded his economic and power team for making all-out efforts to materialize the mega solar project, which, he said, would especially benefit schools, hospitals and tubewells.
The prime minister mentioned that Pakistan was facing extreme challenges while meeting the requirements of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), particularly taking steps to give subsidy on electricity.
He said severe mistakes and neglect by the previous government to address vital issues resulted in economic instability, however, the nation could overcome the challenges with correct decisions about the leadership.
He said the coalition government in four months faced challenges like economic instability as the predecessors made every effort to push the country onto the brink of default.
The prime minister mentioned that the previous government in the last around four years did not provide even a bit of relief to the common man and also did not fulfil the requirements of IMF.
“Pakistan has to learn from its mistakes with a determination to overcome every challenge with resilience,” he said.
He said the PTI government at first exported wheat and later imported the commodity at exorbitant rates. Also, he added, the price of petrol was kept unrealistic, which incurred heavy losses to the national economy.
He said the PTI government in the name of subsidy wasted billions of rupees from the national exchequer.
He said the coalition government from the very beginning was determined to address the economic problems to benefit the people and had no other choice but to take unpopular decisions about increasing the petrol price.
The PM made a scathing attack on PTI chief Imran Khan by terming him the ‘biggest enemy’ of Pakistan and said he has attempted to default Pakistan by writing letters to IMF by his provincial ministers asking the Fund not to approve the program for the country.
The prime minister criticized PTI leader Imran Khan for making statements in the past inciting the general public to put their utility bills on fire, and use ‘hundi’ to route their money other than the legal banking channels.
He pointed out that the PTI leader was misappropriating billions of rupees donated for his hospital by diverting them to the expenses related to his politics.
He urged the nation to have a realization about Imran Khan’s true face, which had been exposed following his intention and desire for the country to face Sri Lanka-like situation.
It was now upon the people of Pakistan to awaken their conscience and reject the narrative of Imran Khan based on “lies and deceit”.
“Pakistan is not destined to become Sri Lanka. The nation with its resilience will make the homeland a land of prosperity and development,” he said.
Shehbaz Sharif said the government was making untiring efforts to mitigate the sufferings of the people affected by floods.
He said over 1,300 people, including 300 children, lost their lives as the floods swept away a large area across the country.
He said the federal and provincial governments along with the National Disaster Management Authority and the Pakistan Army were carrying out relief and rescue activities to their best.
The prime minister mentioned that the government was disbursing Rs 25,000 to every household affected by the flood under the Benazir Income Support Programme.
He said the federal government gave a grant of Rs 15 billion to Sindh and Rs 10 billion to Balochistan as flood relief assistance. Also, Rs one million were being given to the relatives of each deceased.
The prime minister said it was the time for all to realize the sufferings of the people in flood-affected areas and come forward to support the government by donating relief goods.
He said the government was cognizant of the miseries of flood-hit people and directed the MNAs and MPAs of his party to reach out to the affected people by themselves.
He expressed confidence that the nation would overcome the challenges with resilience and unity.
He said the agreement with IMF was done by previous PTI government and not by the present government, the present government has to go for review to save Pakistan from default.
“IMF has told us to follow the terms and conditions offered by the PTI government”, he said.
“How sugar price surged 100 rupees from Rs 52 during the previous govt tenure”, he said.
Shehbaz Sharif accused Imran Khan of doing nothing in three and half years of his rule and said the way he was raised and supported (hint towards establishment) there is no example to such thing.
Shehbaz Sharif made it clear that coalition government would counter what he called “lies of Imran Khan” deception and fraud to Pakistani nation.
Shehbaz Sharif accused Imran Khan of committing worst political victimization by using FIA against PML-top leaders.
He accused Imran Khan of violating the oath by selling the gifts to open market, taken from Tosha Khana, this is worst dishonesty and he calls us thief and robber, rather Imran Khan is the biggest thief of the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed that steps are being taken by the government to put Pakistan on economic stability.
He explained that after examining all factors minimum raise was given in the petroleum prices so that it may not have any impact on common man.
Earlier, chairing a meeting here, the PM announced the launch of solar and wind power initiative.
He announced a conference for pre-bidding is being called next week for awarding contracts for construction of solar power plants and wind turbines for which Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh are most suitable places.
“We are now paying 20 billion US dollars bill for import of oil, which till few years back was 50% less”, he said and added that saving from fuel spending could be spent on the welfare of the people, on raising hospitals, schools and colleges and other welfare initiatives.
Shehbaz said the government was making untiring efforts to mitigate the sufferings of the people affected by floods.
He said the federal and provincial governments along with National Disaster Management Authority and the Pakistan army were carrying out relief and rescue activities to their best.
He said the government was cognizant of the miseries of flood-hit people and directed the MNAs and MPAs of his party to reach out to the affected people by themselves.
He expressed the confidence that the nation would overcome the challenges with resilience and unity.
Earlier, chairing a meeting to provide major relief to the masses, the PM gave a go-ahead for the early execution of 10,000 megawatts solar energy project to reduce the import bill of costly diesel and furnace oil.
He said the electricity should be generated through solar instead of imported fuel.
The decision has been taken to save the foreign exchange as it would help the country save billions of dollars.
In the first phase, the solar energy would be supplied to the government buildings, tube wells operating on electricity and diesel and domestic consumers with low consumption.