Pension bigger issue than circular debt: PM

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the issue of pension is even more serious than that of the circular debt and this problem must be resolved in a planned and organized manner.

“The government is paying Rs470 billion on account of pensions [to former government employees or their spouses]. This amount is almost equal to the amount [Rs500billion] that we pay to the existing government employees as salaries,” the PM was quoted as saying during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Imran Khan said the provinces are facing the same problem.

“At many universities, the amount spent on paying pensions has increased more than spending on salaries. The problem must be streamlined even if we have to hire the world’s top consultant for it,” he added.

He said the past governments avoided taking difficult decisions and resultantly the state institutions are now on the verge of collapse. “We will resolve the pensions issue as the country cannot withstand this situation,” he added.

At the meeting which marked the second anniversary of his taking oath as the prime minister, Imran said his 24-year-long political struggle has not come to an end and there is a lot that is needed to be done for the suppressed classes in the country.

“When intentions are good and when one has feelings for the poor, the Almighty also helps. Pakistan has emerged victorious from the coronavirus pandemic, economic crisis and post-Pulwama situation due to the blessings of God,” he said.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Minister for Information Shibli Faraz said the cabinet paid tribute to the PM for steering the country out of multiple crises with his visionary approach.

“Pakistan under the PM's leadership set an exemplary precedent by tackling the corona pandemic. A major step was setting up the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which handled the [coronavirus] situation scientifically,” the minister added.

The NCOC holds a meeting every day to take stock of the pandemic. It implements decisions of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on coronavirus, a body headed by the prime minister.

According to Shibli, the cabinet members unanimously said whatever the PM did during the crisis situation, especially after the coronavirus outbreak, was unprecedented.

The minister said the cabinet also appreciated the PM for raising the Kashmir issue courageously at the United Nations General Assembly session and for becoming the advocate of Kashmiris.

Shibli said in August 2018 when the PTI government came into power, the country's economy was on the verge of collapse and its revival was not an easy task. However, the PM has steered the country out of the crises. He said during the past one week many positive developments have taken place.

“There has been a record increase in remittances and the Pakistan Stock Exchange has emerged as the second fastest growing market of the world. Moody’s has also declared Pakistan's economy as stable – all this is a proof of improvement in the economy.”

The minister said Pakistan, despite limited resources and weak health infrastructure, succeeded to handle the coronavirus situation far better than many developed countries.

“The country had shortage of personnel protective equipment (PPEs) at the start of the pandemic but now it is exporting the same,” he added.

Cabinet decision

Shibli said the cabinet gave approval to the proposal of restructuring the power distribution companies and names of their new board members would be made public soon. The cabinet, he said, also gave approval to the export of locally made PPEs

It also approved the proposal for construction of high-rise residential apartments in Quetta on the land of Federal Ministry of Housing. It gave the nod to the implementation of Pakistan Essential Services Act 1953 on the employees of Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) – the state-owned TV network.

Shibli said the meeting of the Committee on Prices of Essential Commodities was also held, which reviewed the prices of flour and sugar. He said the Sindh government is not releasing the wheat quota allocated to flour mills of the province, which is also affecting other provinces.

He said the meeting was briefed about the talks of Federal Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar and Punjab Food Minister Aleem Khan with sugar mill owners and distributors. The government has allowed import of both wheat and flour which would help discourage the hoarders and profiteers, he added.

Shibli said the PPP led Sindh government has adopted a step-motherly attitude towards Karachi but the federal government is taking all possible steps to resolve the problems of the metropolis.

“The people of Karachi had given the mandate to the PTI and resolution of their problems is the top priority of its government. The Sindh government is getting its due share in the national resources and it is its prime responsibility to resolve the problems of the people of Karachi.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP