Shehbaz Sharif says reality will be uncovered about letters sent to judges n Tells cabinet members finance minister visiting Washington to hold talks with IMF n Conditions for new IMF deal will not be so easy n Govt to increase tax-to-GDP ratio by 15pc during next 5 years n Ambassador of Palestine Ahmed Jawad A.A. Rabei calls on PM.

 

ISLAMABAD  -  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday said the government was planning to enter a new programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which what he said is very impor­tant to consolidate the country’s economy. 

“With the new IMF programme, the inter­national institutions will have more trust on us and we will be able to move forward on the agenda of develop­ment and prosperity with more confidence,” he said while speaking with the participants of the cabinet meet­ing held here under his chairmanship. He said the finance minister was going to Washington this month with a delegation to participate in the IMF spring meetings where he will also discuss de­tails of the new pro­gramme with the IMF. He said although the terms of the new deal would not be so easy, but the government will shift the burden of the tough conditions from the less privileged to the wealthier. 

The prime minister hoped that after the IMF board meeting, the last tranche of existing standby agreement worth $1.1 billion will be disbursed to Paki­stan this month. As regards PIA divest­ment, he said the privatization process of Pakistan Airlines was on track and the schedule set for the process would be fully implemented. 

He said outsourcing of the airport, the prime minister said a Turkish com­pany was arriving Islamabad on April 6 which would negotiate the outsourc­ing process with the Pakistani authori­ties. As regards, digitiSation of the Fed­eral Board of Revenue (FBR), the prime minister informed that the consultants for the digitization process would be ap­pointed by end of current month. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he recently chaired a meeting of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in which details of various sectors includ­ing finance, investment, exports, Infor­mation Technology, agriculture, power and petroleum were discussed. 

“After a detailed meeting, it was decid­ed that I will personally review the sector wise performance to solve the problems faced by the sectors and to streamline the country’s economy,” he added. 

The prime minister pointed out that the government had fulfilled its due re­sponsibility with respect to the inqui­ry of the matter of letter by the Islam­abad High Court judges by forming an inquiry commission led by former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani. After­wards, he said Tassaduq Hussain Jillani had recused from the commission, sub­sequently, the Supreme Court took a sou motu notice of the letter. 

As regards receiving letters from the judges with suspicious powder, the prime minister said the government was investigating the matter. “The gov­ernment, with the sense of responsibil­ity will also probe this matter to uncover the reality.” With respect to the security of the Chinese workers and engineers, the prime minister said the government was evolving a foolproof system for the security of the Chinese workers.

‘PLAN FOR INCREASE IN REVENUE’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thurs­day directed that a comprehensive plan for increase in revenue should be pre­pared without putting burden on the common man.

While chairing a high level meeting on Ministry of Finance, he said in the next five years the tax to Gross Domes­tic Product (GDP) would be taken to 15 percent. He said the federal government would strengthen the provinces and would hand over all the relevant minis­tries and departments to the provinces, under the 18th amendment, adding ex­penditure would be reduced to decrease the fiscal deficit.

He directed to speed up the process of reforms and privatization of the state owned institutions especially those which were running in losses. He said public private partnership should be ini­tiated with private operators to improve the services at all the large airports of the country. 

The prime minister said the govern­ment was fully focused on gradually de­creasing the public debt, pension and subsidy reforms and privatization of the state owned entities. He said the conclu­sion of the standby programme with the International Monetary Fund was a pos­itive development, adding the govern­ment would make full effort for the next programme with the IMF. He said a de­tailed plan should also be presented for decrease in external debt.

The services of international experts should be hired for achieving econom­ic progress, he added. The meeting was briefed about revenue, taxes, fiscal defi­cit, foreign exchange reserves, remit­tances and current account.

The participants of the meeting were also informed about the progress on the implementation on issues of revenue, subsidies, power sector reforms and on the instructions of the prime minister to reduce government expenditure.

Federal ministers Muhammad Aurang­zeb, Ahad Khan Cheema, Dr Musadiq Ma­lik, Ahsan Iqbal, Deputy

Chairman Planning Commission Jehan­zeb Khan, Coordinator of Prime Minister Rana Ihsaan Afzal and relevant officers attended the meeting.

‘WAR AGAINST INNOCENT PALESTINIANS’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday strongly condemning the on­going Israeli brutalities in Gaza that had continued relentlessly since October 7, 2023, called for an immediate end to the genocidal war against the brave and in­nocent Palestinian people. 

He was talking to Ambassador of Pal­estine to Pakistan Ahmed Jawad A.A. Ra­bei who called on him here. He said Paki­stan had a historic and close relationship with the brotherly State of Palestine and it had consistently supported the Pales­tine cause, at the UN, OIC as well as other international platforms.

He expressed deep condolences over the tragic death of over 32,000 Palestin­ians, including 17,000 children, as well as more than 70,000 injured by the bru­tal actions of Israeli security forces.

The prime minister recalled the inter­im ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case filed by South Africa and stated that Pakistan had also made a verbal statement in support of Palestine at the ICJ. 

While welcoming the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2728, the prime minister ex­pressed disappointment that Israel had chosen to ignore the resolution and con­tinued to brazenly violate it. 

He assured the Palestinian Ambassa­dor that Pakistan would continue to raise its voice at every international forum in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Pakistan has so far, sent seven tranches of relief goods for the people of Gaza. An­other tranche is planned soon after Eid.

The Palestinian Ambassador thanked the Prime Minister and the people of Pakistan for supporting the Palestinian people, which was a source of strength for them at this difficult time.

The prime minister thanked President of Palestine Dr. Mahmoud Abbas for his warm congratulatory message to him following his re-election. 

The prime minister was assisted by Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, SAPM Tariq Fatemi and the Foreign Secretary.