Cabinet changes PM’s prerogative: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology cThursday said the federal cabinet did not discuss changes in its composition, as it was purely the prerogative of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“Whenever, he deems it fit, he will go for changes in the cabinet,” he said while replying to questions during a media briefing on the federal cabinet decisions. Fawad said the media should know that the ECC consisted of economic experts, whereas the federal cabinet comprised politicians, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as financial experts.

“Silence of Maryam Safdar is not a good thing. Hopefully, the cabinet will listen to people like us this time,” he remarked when asked would he again oppose any relief to her, as he had done in the case of Nawaz Sharif.

Referring to the coronavirus, Fawad said two waves of the pandemic had been successfully countered and efforts were on to combat the third wave in the same manner, which was appreciated globally.

He conceded that the third wave was affecting large number of people and this time also the government wanted to tackle it in an organized manner, as it had done earlier. He said 98% of Pakistanis would get vaccine free of cost, which would be imported by the government on its own or through donations, whereas 2-3% of people, who did not want to queue up would be vaccinated at a cost.

He said the dispute over the price of Russian vaccine was going on in the Sindh High Court, whereas the price of Chinese vaccine had been fixed at Rs4,225. After the final decision of the Sindh High Court, the price of Sputnik would also be fixed, he said and made it clear that the prime minister’s prime focus was that the people should not be made to pay the exorbitant price.