Ag Agencies
ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee on Friday approved provision of an additional guarantee of Rs 20 billion for the Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited to meet expenditure for the overhauling of aircraft engines.
The meeting, which was held here at the PM Office and chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, directed the Aviation Division and the Finance Ministry to ensure that the financing support approved by the ECC was strictly utilized only for the defined purpose.
The ECC approved supply of 35,000 metric tons of wheat from PASSCO to the World Food Programme for distribution amongst the Temporary Displaced Persons of FATA. The meeting approved a proposal for introducing necessary amendments to the OGRA Ordinance 2002 to cover the entire LNG/RLNG supply chain in the OGRA regulatory framework and to remove anomalies in the dispatch, receipt and billing of RLNG volumes. The body also approved, in principle, exemption of regulatory duties on import of fresh fruits, vegetables and dry fruits from Afghanistan that had been announced by the prime minister during his visit to Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the PM Office clarified on Friday that it has not received any summons with regard to a supreme court order seeking his appearance in court in personal capacity. The prime minister respects judiciary and believes in rule of law, the PM Office said. It was stated by the PM Officer spokesperson that if such summons were received, the premier would appear before the court.
Later, addressing the inauguration ceremony of the National Incubation Center at the NED University in Karachi, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said only the public represented government could lead the country to progress as undemocratic governments in the past failed to uplift the country and address national issues.
He said it was only the Pakistan Muslim League-N government that always delivered in all sectors. The ceremony was attended by Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman, Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail and aspiring young entrepreneurs.
He said this was due to democracy that huge projects were being executed across the country including highways, power plants, airports and information technology. He said the NIC, completed at a cost of Rs 2.5 billion, would provide an opportunity to young entrepreneurs to launch their start-ups and help them earn more in the future.
The prime minister, who was earlier received by Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair on arrival at the airport, said he had ended up inaugurating projects worth around Rs 100 billion. He said despite all odds, the government kept up its development agenda and in the next polls, people would have the choice to judge their performance. The prime minister said the government revived the lights of Karachi city. He said the crime ratio had gone down in the city and hoped that normalcy would sustain in the metropolitan.
