Utility Stores to have no role in Ramazan package

PM terms USC a body ridden with corruption

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that the government would unveil the Ramazan Relief Package this year sans the Utility Stores' role to prevent corruption and distribution of low-quality commodities to the people.

"As the Holy Ramazan is about to start, I have asked the Ministry of National Food Security to bring about a Ramzan Package without the Utility Stores [Corporation (USC)] to prevent corruption and the sale of low-quality material. I had asked many months ago that this cannot go on with the Utility Stores," the prime minister said in his televised opening remarks at the meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by him.

He told the cabinet members that last year, the government had received many complaints about the execution of the Ramazan Package by the Utility Stores. Therefore, the government has devised a solution to provide the facility minus the Utility Stores.

The prime minister directed immediate measures to operationalise Gwadar Port on a commercial basis and instructed the formation of a committee under the chairmanship of Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal to work with all stakeholders to transform it into a modern and fully functional port.

Iqbal gave a detailed briefing on Gwadar Port in the cabinet meeting.

The prime minister also directed organising an international conference to create awareness about the significance of Gwadar Port. "A comprehensive marketing and awareness strategy should be devised and diplomatic efforts regarding Gwadar Port should be expedited."

He also sought details of imports and exports carried out through Gwadar Port. The meeting was informed that Gwadar Port had the capacity to provide cost-effective and time-efficient access to the Persian Gulf for vessels of up to 50,000 Deadweight Tonnage (DWT) and to facilitate trans-shipment to Gulf countries.

Furthermore, the port was expected to play a vital role in the development of the mining and aqua-culture sectors in Balochistan province. Western parts of China and the Central Asian States would also benefit from this port.

The meeting was further informed that Gwadar Free Zone had been exempted from all federal, provincial, and local taxes and the rules for the Free Zone had been finalized.

It was revealed that between 2018 and 2022, criminal negligence was shown regarding dredging at Gwadar Port which severely affected its depth. However, dredging was completed in 2022-23, after which its depth had been restored. All necessary utility services had now been provided at Gwadar Port, it was added.

The meeting was also briefed about several public welfare projects in Gwadar including the Pak-China Friendship Hospital, Gwadar Institute of Technical Education, Pak-China Primary School, Gwadar Livelihood Project, Gwadar Fisheries Processing and Export Zone, and Gwadar Solar Park.

The prime minister was apprised that government was also working to link Gwadar with Pakistan Railways' Main Line M-4.Pakistani cuisine recipes

The Gwadar-Quetta Highway was completed in 2018, benefiting areas such as Turbat, Hoshab, and Panjgur. Additionally, the remaining sections of the M-8 Motorway (Gwadar-Hoshab-Rato Dero) were under construction to connect Gwadar with Sukkur.

To further enhance Gwadar-Quetta connectivity, the Nokundi-Mashkhel road was being constructed, while work on the Mashkhel-Panjgur road would commence soon, it was told.

The work on Gwadar East Bay Expressway was carried out at rapid speed while work on Gwadar Safe City was being completed in collaboration with the Balochistan government.

The minister proposed modernizing cargo inspection facilities at Gwadar Port and utilizing artificial intelligence for this purpose. The prime minister appreciated the briefing.

About the launch of the polio vaccination drive, he mentioned the killing of a policeman Abdul Khaliq in Jamrud who was deployed on the security of the polio team and paid tribute to his sacrifice to make Pakistan a polio-free nation.

He also lauded the services of PM's Coordinator on Health Dr Mukhtar, Polio Coordinator Dr Ayesha Farooq, secretary health and polio vaccinators for their tireless efforts to rid the country of this crippling disease.

Apprising the cabinet members of his Quetta visit on Monday, the prime minister said he visited the hospital to inquire after the security personnel who were injured in an anti-terror operation in Kalat in which 18 security personnel were martyred and 23 terrorists were eliminated.

"I met the injured. They were in high morale and were even ready to sacrifice their lives for the country.

These are the martyrs and Ghazis who are resolved to rid the country of terrorism and striving day and night for the cause," he remarked.

The prime minister said that the soldiers of the army, police, FC and Rangers sacrificing their lives were actually bearing the brunt of the blunderous policies of a government in the past when thousands of terrorists were set free.

The cabinet members also offered Fateha for the martyred security personnel as well as the policeman on the polio duty.

The prime minister expressed pleasure over the inflation coming down to a nine-year low at 2.4% from 28.73% on a month-to-month basis.

He congratulated the entire nation, the cabinet members particularly the finance minister, his team, FBR and others for their efforts during the last 11 months to bring the inflation down to the lowest level.

"Now, we are fully striving to head toward economic growth… This is the main challenge. All of our energies will be focused on economic growth. Just like other targets, we will achieve this too," he resolved.

He told the cabinet members that on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a delegation to Pakistan and both sides signed an agreement under which the Kingdom would provide oil worth annual $1.2 billion on deferred payment.

Besides, the Saudi Development Fund will also provide a loan for a $40 million water supply scheme project in Mansehra.

He said that the entire nation would observe Kashmir Solidarity Day on Wednesday to express solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also lauded the approval of agricultural income tax by all four provinces as per the IMF condition and thanked the chief ministers, President Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Mian Nawaz Sharif for their support in this regard.