Govt to unveil Ramazan package without utility stores to prevent corruption: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the government would unveil the Ramadan Relief Package this year sans the Utility Stores' role in efforts to prevent corruption and distribution of low-quality commodities to the people.

The government, last month, formed a seven-member cabinet committee to oversee the prompt shutdown of USC operations nationwide. The committee was also tasked with devising a strategy for distributing the Ramadan package in coordination with the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

"As the month of Holy Ramadan is about to start, I have asked the Ministry of National Food Security to bring about a Ramadan package without Utility Stores. I had asked many months ago that this cannot go on with the Utility Stores,” the premier said while addressing a federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

He said that last year, the government had received immense complaints about the execution of the Ramadan Package run by the USC.

Referring to the polio vaccination drive, the prime minister mentioned the killing of a policeman Abdul Khaliq in Jamrud who was deployed for the security of the polio team, paying tribute to his sacrifice to make Pakistan a polio-free nation.

He also lauded the services of PM’s Coordinator on Health Dr Mukhtar, Polio Coordinator Dr Ayesha Farooq, secretary health and polio vaccinators for their tireless efforts to rid the country of this crippling disease.

Apprising the cabinet members of his Quetta visit, the prime minister said he visited the hospital to meet the security personnel who were injured in an anti-terror operation in Kalat in which 18 security personnel were martyred and 23 terrorists were eliminated.

“I met the injured. They had high morale and were even ready to sacrifice their lives for the country. These are the martyrs and Ghazis who are resolved to rid the country of terrorism and striving day and night for the cause,” he remarked.

He added that the soldiers of the army, police, FC and Rangers sacrificing their lives were bearing the brunt of the short-sighted policies of a past government which released thousands of terrorists.

Inflation and economic growth

The premier also expressed pleasure over monthly inflation coming down to a nine-year low of 2.4% from 28.73%.

He congratulated the entire nation, the cabinet members, particularly the finance minister, his team, FBR, and others, for their efforts during the last eleven months to bring inflation down to its lowest level.

"Now, we are fully striving to head toward economic growth… This is the main challenge. All of our energies will be focused on economic growth. Just like other targets, we will achieve this too," he resolved.

He told the cabinet members that on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a delegation to Pakistan and both sides signed an agreement under which the kingdom would provide oil worth $1.2 billion annualy on deferred payment.

Besides, the Saudi Development Fund will also provide a loan for a $40 million water supply scheme project in Mansehra.

He said that the entire nation would observe Kashmir Solidarity Day on Wednesday to express solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also lauded the approval of agricultural income tax by all four provinces as per the IMF condition and thanked the chief ministers, President Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Nawaz Sharif for their support in this regard.