Islamabad, Feb 4: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Tuesday that the government would introduce the Ramazan Relief Package this year without the involvement of Utility Stores, aiming to prevent corruption and the distribution of substandard goods. In his televised remarks during a federal cabinet meeting, he explained that the Ministry of National Food Security would be tasked with delivering the package.
As last year’s complaints regarding Utility Stores’ execution of the package raised concerns. The government, according to the prime minister, had received numerous grievances regarding corruption and low-quality items distributed through Utility Stores, prompting the decision to exclude them from the program this year.
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The Prime Minister also addressed the polio vaccination drive, honoring the sacrifice of police officer Abdul Khaliq, who was killed while securing a polio vaccination team in Jamrud. He paid tribute to Khaliq’s dedication and lauded the efforts of key health officials, including PM’s Coordinator on Health Dr. Mukhtar, Polio Coordinator Dr. Ayesha Farooq, and others, for their relentless commitment to eradicating polio from Pakistan.
During the meeting, the prime minister shared details of his visit to Quetta, where he met with injured security personnel who had been involved in an anti-terror operation in Kalat. He praised their courage, noting that despite the losses in the operation, the morale of the security personnel remained high. The prime minister also spoke of the sacrifices made by soldiers, police, and security forces in the fight against terrorism, attributing the growing challenges to the previous government’s policies, which led to the release of numerous terrorists.
The prime minister also highlighted Pakistan’s progress in controlling inflation, which had dropped to a nine-year low of 2.4%, down from 28.73% on a month-to-month basis. He congratulated the nation and key figures, such as the finance minister and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), for their efforts in achieving this milestone.
In a major diplomatic development, Prime Minister Shehbaz announced that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had sent a delegation to Pakistan, resulting in an agreement for Saudi Arabia to provide oil worth $1.2 billion annually on deferred payment. Additionally, a $40 million loan from the Saudi Development Fund will support a water supply project in Mansehra.
Lastly, the prime minister expressed solidarity with Kashmiris ahead of Kashmir Solidarity Day, which the nation would observe on Wednesday. He also praised the approval of agricultural income tax by all four provinces, in line with an IMF condition, and thanked political leaders for their support in this regard.
