President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned the government economic team on March 8 to brief him on the country''s economic situation and the strategy the government intends to put in place to cope with the challenges of rising prices of commodities and their burden on the poor and low-income groups.
The officials of Finance Division, Planning Commission, the ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and Water and Power and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) have been directed to attend the briefing at the presidency. The president will be briefed on all issues of the national economy such as revenue collection, budget deficit, remittances, release of funds for development projects and balance of payments as on February 28. The president will also be briefed on International Monetary Fund''s mission''s visit to Pakistan and its likely support for the release of the second last tranche of $1.7 billion of $11.3 billion under Stand-By Arrangement (SBA).
Sources said the president wants to see for himself what actions the government contemplating towards raging inflation. The presidency''s move to call the government economic team next week for briefing on economic situation of the country indicates a high level of anxiety at the highest level. During the briefing, the Finance Ministry is expecting some key decisions to protect the poor from rising prices of commodities and petroleum products.
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