Months after acceding to the demand of the opposition parties to give chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, the government on Thursday demanded Sharif's resignation as head of the top parliamentary watchdog on moral grounds. A meeting of the federal cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed serious concern over use of office of PAC chairman by Shahbaz Sharif as a shield for some elected representatives who are facing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases and asked him to resign from his post on moral grounds, said Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry while addressing a press conference after the meeting.
To a question whether appointment of Sharif as PAC chairman was a mistake of the government, Chaudhry replied that mistakes are committed by human beings. He said that PAC chairman is trying to make PML-N MNA Saad Rafique, who is facing a NAB case, a member of the PAC so that he (Sharif) could issue his (Rafique's) production orders. To a question, he said that cabinet did discuss the arrest of PTI leader Aleem Khan by NAB. The government does not want to reduce powers of NAB but it is, infact, interested to further strengthen the anti-graft body, he said, adding that transparency and effectiveness are mandatory in the procedure of the bureau.
He said that cabinet ordered to conduct external audit of the inflated gas bills during the last two months. The cabinet meeting also decided to revise the slab system for gas prices which has been in use since 2012, he said. The minister said, "Pakistan is importing gas at exorbitant rates, thanks to Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader and former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and providing it to the consumers at subsidised rates. The government made efforts that increase in gas prices does not affect 70 percent population of the country."
"Only 23 percent of population is using natural gas while rest of the people use either LPG or wood for fuel source," he said, adding that the government is trying to develop a self-reliance system. To another question whether or not there is national reconciliation ordinance (NRO) on the cards, he said that it happened in the past but now it will not be granted. He further said the government and army currently have the best coordination in the history. Judiciary is completely independent, he added.
The minister said that Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has given a detailed presentation to the cabinet regarding prices of essential commodities. According to PBS presentation, during the first six months of the last PML-N government, inflation increased by 5.8 percent while it rose by only 1.4 percent in the first six months of the present government, he claimed. He said that following the presentation, the cabinet decided to constitute a committee headed by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak to develop a proper system for stabilisation of prices of essential commodities.
The minister said it was also decided to develop a mobile application which will provide an opportunity to consumers to check the prices of essential commodities in the country in order to discourage overcharging. He said that Prime Minister Khan has directed Ministry for Housing and Works to get government residences and hostels vacated from the people who have either illegally occupied them or are not entitled to them. He said that Pakistan People Party (PPP) leader Mian Raza Rabbani, PML-N leader Mushahid Ullah Khan and some MNAs have "illegally" occupied government residences at the Ministers' Enclave. The Prime Minister has issued strict directives to get the government residences vacated at the Ministers' Enclave and provide them residences as per their entitlement, he said.
Chaudhary said that Ministry of Law will prepare a negative list of departments where holders of dual nationalities will not be appointed. He, however, said that the overseas Pakistanis are our asset and they are contributing to the economy by sending remittances worth billions of dollars. He said the government will encourage the overseas Pakistanis to come to Pakistan and serve the country. The information minister said that a committee has been constituted headed by Punjab Governor Chaudhary Muhammad Sarwar which will oversee the development of infrastructure related to Kartarpur Corridor.
He said that during the previous cabinet meeting, it was decided to make all buildings in the federal capital friendly for handicapped persons. "In today's meeting, Prime Minister Khan has sought a report from Capital Development Authority (CDA) about the execution of directives of the cabinet meeting," he said. Chaudhry said that Ministry of Human Rights is introducing a law for protection of rights of senior citizens. He said the government is planning to bring a full-fledged programme to extend all possible facilities to senior citizens.
He said that Prime Minister Khan stressed to make serious efforts for development of erstwhile Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA). The FATA Secretariat has almost been abolished and all powers have been handed over to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added. The minister said that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been directed to hold meetings with mobile service providers to restore mobile phone service in seven tribal districts.
He said the government is making all possible efforts to promote tourism in the country. France has changed travel advisory for Pakistan while other eight European countries will soon do the same, he said.
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