ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture, Ataullah Tarar alleged former prime minister Imran Khan being the mastermind behind the conspiracy in the country and former Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed for being a facilitator.
He emphasised that the Pakistan Army has its own mechanism of self-accountability, and investigations in this matter are expected to expand. In a press conference at PTV Headquarters on Saturday, the minister also announced significant relief for electricity consumers in Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
The relief includes a reduction of PKR 14 per unit for bills up to 500 units over two months, costing the provincial government PKR 45 billion.
The minister highlighted that under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has always prioritised public service, mentioning key milestones like the construction of South Asia’s first motorway and the launch of economic reforms that facilitated the business community.
Tarar also criticised the previous government, pointing out that inflation had risen to over 22 per cent, compared to four per cent before 2018, and accused Imran Khan’s government of economic mismanagement and mishandling of state assets.
He further discussed the arrest of Lt Gen (retired) Faiz Hameed, acknowledging the transparency in the military’s investigation. He reiterated that the alliance between certain political figures led to unrest and division in the country, with Imran Khan and Faiz Hameed being central to these destabilising efforts.
Regarding relief measures, the federal government, in coordination with the Punjab government, introduced initiatives aimed at lowering electricity costs for the public.
For instance, 28,000 solar tube wells are to be installed in Balochistan as part of a joint solar energy project.
Additionally, the prime minister has already provided subsidies and reduced prices of petroleum products as part of efforts to ease inflation.
Touching on economic reforms, the minister mentioned that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has initiated meetings on “right-sizing” and “down-sizing” public institutions, focusing on reducing the financial burden on the government.
Concerning recent remarks by Latif Khosa, Tarar dismissed them as baseless, accusing him of perpetuating the false narratives established by PTI leadership.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.