PM urges parties to brace for next polls
Cabinet asks generals, judges to declare assets
Thursday, August 16, 2012 - Islamabad—Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf says all the political parties should start preparations for the next general elections.
Addressing the cabinet meeting in Islamabad Wednesday‚ he urged the political parties to support the government for a better political environment during the polls.
He said Pakistan Peoples Party believes in free‚ fair and impartial elections. “We will fully endorse the mandate of the people”.
Pervez Ashraf said resolution of energy crisis is the government’s top most priority. He said all resources will be utilized to resolve the crisis.
The Prime Minister while congratulating the Cabinet members on Independence Day said that Pakistan came into being on 14th August‚ 1947 on the corresponding date of 27 of Ramazan (Lailatul Qadr) the most important night‚ thereby indicating that Pakistan is gift of Allah Almighty.
Federal cabinet asked judges and generals to submit lists of their assets.
The cabinet members agreed that generals and judges should also declare their assets. The federal cabinet also directed the Establishment Division to direct government servants to submit statements of their assets.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira Wednesday said that government is not running away from elections and no suggestion of postponing the elections is under consideration.
Briefing media after federal cabinet meeting Kaira said the Sub-Committee of the Cabinet on Balochistan also presented its interim report on Wednesday after holding consultations with different stakeholders in Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad. He hoped that the Committee would finalize its recommendations before the next meeting of the Cabinet.
Reacting to statement of Sheikh Rasheed, Kaira said that political leaders must avoid abusive language.
The minister said that Sheikh Rasheed is a politician who has no public support therefore he wanted to ride on others, carts.
Kaira said Sheikh Rasheed’s language against the President was unbearable and the government knows how to make him silent.
The Federal Cabinet was informed that the Federal Government has so far regularized services of about thirty thousand contract and daily wages employees.
The Information Minister said second nuclear power unit that had developed some fault would become operational Wednesday evening as a result of which 300 MW would be added to the system.
The Prime Minister constituted a committee comprising Secretaries of Ministries of Water and Power; Petroleum and Natural Resources and Finance to hold daily meetings to consider issues facing the power sector and resolve them. It would regularly update the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on the progress and the relevant information would also be shared with the people.
The Prime Minister also decided that an exclusive meeting of the Cabinet on water and power sector would be held after Eid to review the steps so far taken and formulate a futuristic strategy.
The Cabinet was informed that inflation had come down as compared to 2008-09. The Consumer Price Index has come down from 20.8% in 2008-9 to 9.6% now; food inflation from 23.7% to 9.1%, non-food inflation from 18.4% to 10% and core inflation from 17.4% to 11.3%.
The Cabinet noted that inflation could come down further if provincial governments activate their price control mechanism and take action against profiteers and hoarders.
The meeting also noted that prices of onion have increased by 11.5% and that of tomato by 11.34% but hoped that the situation would improve with the arrival of new crops from KPK and Balochistan.
A comparison of prices in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka was also presented before the Cabinet and it was noted that prices of some items like wheat, rice, sugar and petrol are on the lower side in Pakistan. Prices of fertilizer and diesel are on the higher side because other regional countries are offering more subsidies on them.
The Information Minister said Pakistan is also offering huge subsidies in various sectors. Subsidy worth 464 billion rupees was given on electricity last year; 26 billion rupee on fertilizers; two and a half to three billion rupee on items through Utility Stores under Ramazan Package besides cash grant being provided under Benazir Income Support Programme. The country is also selling gas at the one third price of the international market and its monetary values would come to billions of dollars.—Online
Addressing the cabinet meeting in Islamabad Wednesday‚ he urged the political parties to support the government for a better political environment during the polls.
He said Pakistan Peoples Party believes in free‚ fair and impartial elections. “We will fully endorse the mandate of the people”.
Pervez Ashraf said resolution of energy crisis is the government’s top most priority. He said all resources will be utilized to resolve the crisis.
The Prime Minister while congratulating the Cabinet members on Independence Day said that Pakistan came into being on 14th August‚ 1947 on the corresponding date of 27 of Ramazan (Lailatul Qadr) the most important night‚ thereby indicating that Pakistan is gift of Allah Almighty.
Federal cabinet asked judges and generals to submit lists of their assets.
The cabinet members agreed that generals and judges should also declare their assets. The federal cabinet also directed the Establishment Division to direct government servants to submit statements of their assets.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira Wednesday said that government is not running away from elections and no suggestion of postponing the elections is under consideration.
Briefing media after federal cabinet meeting Kaira said the Sub-Committee of the Cabinet on Balochistan also presented its interim report on Wednesday after holding consultations with different stakeholders in Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad. He hoped that the Committee would finalize its recommendations before the next meeting of the Cabinet.
Reacting to statement of Sheikh Rasheed, Kaira said that political leaders must avoid abusive language.
The minister said that Sheikh Rasheed is a politician who has no public support therefore he wanted to ride on others, carts.
Kaira said Sheikh Rasheed’s language against the President was unbearable and the government knows how to make him silent.
The Federal Cabinet was informed that the Federal Government has so far regularized services of about thirty thousand contract and daily wages employees.
The Information Minister said second nuclear power unit that had developed some fault would become operational Wednesday evening as a result of which 300 MW would be added to the system.
The Prime Minister constituted a committee comprising Secretaries of Ministries of Water and Power; Petroleum and Natural Resources and Finance to hold daily meetings to consider issues facing the power sector and resolve them. It would regularly update the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on the progress and the relevant information would also be shared with the people.
The Prime Minister also decided that an exclusive meeting of the Cabinet on water and power sector would be held after Eid to review the steps so far taken and formulate a futuristic strategy.
The Cabinet was informed that inflation had come down as compared to 2008-09. The Consumer Price Index has come down from 20.8% in 2008-9 to 9.6% now; food inflation from 23.7% to 9.1%, non-food inflation from 18.4% to 10% and core inflation from 17.4% to 11.3%.
The Cabinet noted that inflation could come down further if provincial governments activate their price control mechanism and take action against profiteers and hoarders.
The meeting also noted that prices of onion have increased by 11.5% and that of tomato by 11.34% but hoped that the situation would improve with the arrival of new crops from KPK and Balochistan.
A comparison of prices in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka was also presented before the Cabinet and it was noted that prices of some items like wheat, rice, sugar and petrol are on the lower side in Pakistan. Prices of fertilizer and diesel are on the higher side because other regional countries are offering more subsidies on them.
The Information Minister said Pakistan is also offering huge subsidies in various sectors. Subsidy worth 464 billion rupees was given on electricity last year; 26 billion rupee on fertilizers; two and a half to three billion rupee on items through Utility Stores under Ramazan Package besides cash grant being provided under Benazir Income Support Programme. The country is also selling gas at the one third price of the international market and its monetary values would come to billions of dollars.—Online
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