Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday reiterated that Pakistan is the cheapest country among other South Asian countries.
The minister said while briefing the journalist about the decisions taken in meeting of federal cabinet held in Islamabad with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair. The minister claimed that prices of several daily useable items were observed continues de cline. About inflation, Fawad Chaudhry said that the price index is going down for the straight third week, which shows the inflation is going down.
He said prices of edible items are coming down across the country excluding Sindh. Price of flour are higher in Karachi and Hyderabad. Chaudhry further added that the PPP’s provincial government has utterly failed to control exorbitant prices of milk and sugar across the province, especially in Karachi.
The minister urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to release tender for procure-ment of electronic voting machines (EVMs). He said that the issue of EVMs was highlighted by former president Asif Ali Zardari during the ten-ure of the Pakistan People’s Party government in 2012.
Later, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also demanded EVMs. The minister called upon all the political parties to play a positive role in the usage of EVMs in the upcoming general elec-tions.
The Information and Broadcasting Minister said that the Ministry of Science and Technology is ready to provide electronic voting machines to the ECP. He said all political parties should play their positive role on the issue of electronic vot-ing. The minister said the Election Commission of Pakistan should issue tenders for the Elec-tronic Voting Machines.
Fawad Chaudhry warned of an impending gas crisis in the country, saying the resource was depleting fast and “Pakistan will have no gas in years to come.” The minister raised alarm over gas going scarce in the country and said it was depleting by nine percent every year for the last two years.
“Gas is available in big cities to 23 percent people at subsidized rates and its burden is be-ing borne by 78 percent people in other parts of the country who rely on LPG, coal and other means,” the minister said.
