Big relief package to be announced in upcoming Punjab budget: minister

LAHORE: Announcing that the upcoming Punjab budget for 2022-23 would be “pro-people” with focus on extending relief to them, spokesman for the Punjab government and Provincial Minister Ataullah Tarar said on Saturday that “big relief package” has been prepared and will be announced in the next Punjab budget.

Talking to media, here on Saturday, he said austerity measures are being taken to control inflation and the Punjab ministers will bear patrol expenses of their official vehicles themselves in the wake of rising prices of petroleum product. “There will be no official petrol quota and the ministers will have to buy petrol for themselves for the official tours as well”, he said.

Ataullah Tarar held the PTI previous government responsible for soaring inflation but said the government is taking necessary steps to protect the common man from the impact of inflation. He also criticised PTI-led government for current load-shedding in the country, as they did not pay attention to real issues of the people.

Tarar also criticised PTI Chairman Imran Khan for utilising Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s government resources for his so-called political activities by residing in Chief Minister’s House. He claimed that even the bottles of mineral water Imran Khan was drinking in Peshawar were being paid for by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

Taking strong exception over Imran’s recent statement, Tarar said he has decided to consult psychiatric experts to get psychiatric evaluation of Imran Khan in the wake of his recent statements.

He further said the KP government had written a letter to the Punjab government for meeting KP wheat requirements. In this regard, he assured that the people of KP are our brothers and we would meet their needs. The KP government has been requested to ink MoU for meeting their wheat requirements.

He said subsidised flour is available across Punjab and stringent measures have been put in place at inter-provincial borders to check smuggling of subsidised flour to other provinces.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022