ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said provision of electricity to the domestic and industrial consumers at reasonable rate are the foremost priorities of the PTI government.
Chairing a high-level meeting, PM Imran Khan pointed out that the energy sector faces multiple challenges today owing to the power agreements penned by previous governments which also neglected the timely administrative reforms and losses in the transmission and distribution system.
“Energy reforms and checking its losses are government’s top priority.”
The premier said that the government is providing relief to every possible level to the weaker segments of the society and consumers using up to three hundred units of the electricity.
The PM said the government is cognizant of the problems faced by the masses and it is our utmost effort to stabilize the power prices and provide every possible relief to the people.
The meeting was attended amongst others by Minister for Planning Asad Umer, Minister for Power Omar Ayub, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi, Adviser on Finance Hafeez Sheikh and Special Assistant Nadeem Babar.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved a plan on Monday to develop a commercial city named ‘New Blue Area’ within the limits of federal capital Islamabad.
The government has allocated a 170 canal land in front of F-9 Park in the capital city for the project. The commercial city project will be developed on international standards and the government would be able to generate initial revenue of up to Rs 30 billion from it.
Some of the revenue generated from the project would be utilized for the Naya Pakistan Housing project aimed at building low cost housing units for poor and low income groups.
The commercial city project would not only expedite economic activities in the federal capital but would also help generate employment and promote construction sector.
Basic facilities provided to the residents of Islamabad would also witness an improvement under the project. The project would also saw doubling of the commercial space within the city.
On February 07, the Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting on Information Technology, where it was decided to establish a software city in Islamabad and take software-related exports of the country to US$ 10 billion.
During the meeting, it was decided to strengthen the country in the Information Technology sector likewise other countries of the region.
The meeting took key decisions to improve IT exports and spread the span of the sector to all parts of the country.
It was decided to digitally connect the cities using telephone towers across the country other than completing bandwidth and fibre optic process on an immediate basis.
Aimed at improving the software exports, the government decided to introduce a relief package for the small-scale software exporters.
The establishment of a software city spanning over 40 acres of land in the federal capital was also approved, where facilities would be provided to exporters.
Meanwhile, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail on Monday announced that the Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate five federal-funded mega projects in Karachi on his upcoming visit.
The governor, however, said that the key transport project – Green Line bus project – would take eight more months to complete and the final date for its inauguration would only be announced by the prime minister.
The sources said that the five projects that would be inaugurated by the PM Imran Khan during his Karachi visit included three flyovers at Sakhi Hassan, Five Star roundabout and KDA roundabout in the city.
“The Nishtar Road and Manghopir Road phase-I are also completed and are likely to be inaugurated during the premier’s visit,” they said.
The federal authorities have also decided to mull over a road project from Surjani to Matric Board office in the city, they said adding that a feasibility report in this regard is under preparation and would be laid before the premier during his Karachi visit for approval.
The sources further said that the federal government has decided to provide fire-extinguishing equipment to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) under Karachi package.
“The KMC will be provided 55 fire tenders and other fire-extinguishing equipment worth Rs 853 million,” they said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Monday apprised Prime Minister Imran Khan over various proposals and steps to increase production of technological items and their export.
Giving the briefing, the minister apprised the prime minister that they had identified 252 products in chemicals, bio-technology, machinery, textile, base metals, plastic and others in which foreign reserves could be earned at the international level through enhanced production and by decreasing their import.
In this regard, he said, the ministry had been formulating three, seven and ten years’ programmes.
Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Minister for Narcotics Control Sheheryar Afridi Chairman Board of Investment Syed Zubair Gilani and other secretaries concerned and senior officials attended the meeting, PM Office Media Wing in a press release said.
Briefing over the high-tech industrial development, national capacity and future strategy was also given and the minister highlighted certain proposals over different important projects in this connection.
In the first phase, Fawad said, herbal, food and medicines sectors would be given attention so that export volume of such items could be widened and it could be brought to 3 per cent of overall export of technological items till 2030.
The prime minister was also apprised about the progress on the establishment of Jhelum Industrial bio-technology park and other related issues.
The prime minister appreciated the proposals highlighted by the minister for the increase of technological products at the national level and assured that the government would fully extend its cooperation.
The minister also briefed the prime minister that the ministry had also retrieved 25 acres of land worth billions of rupees belonging to Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) in Lahore from a relative of a political figure.
The political personality had illegally encroached upon the land by using his relations and power, he added.
The prime minister lauded the efforts of minister and other officials concerned for retrieving the precious government property. – NNI
Provision of electricity at reasonable rate top priority of govt: Khan
