ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clarified that the electricity subsidy and relief provided by the Punjab government are entirely funded by the provincial government’s resources, with no involvement from the federal government.
During a federal cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized that the relief offered by the Punjab government, which includes a subsidy of Rs14 per unit for electricity usage up to 500 units for two months, is fully financed by the province’s own funds.
To support this initiative, the Punjab government has allocated Rs45 billion from its development funds, without any contribution from the federal government.
He described this relief as a gift from the Punjab government to the people of the province.
Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed disappointment over the negative comments made regarding this relief and corrected misinformation spread by a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister, who had incorrectly stated that the federal government was responsible for the subsidy.
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He urged others to follow Punjab’s example of supporting its people and advised against distorting facts for political gain.
The Prime Minister also noted that inflation in the country has dropped to its lowest level in three years, from 38 per cent to 11.5 per cent.
He further highlighted that a staff-level agreement had been reached with the IMF, stressing the importance of meeting revenue and tax targets, as well as reducing losses in the power sector.
The Prime Minister assured that his government would work closely with the IMF to make decisions in the best interest of the country, steering clear of the reckless decisions made by the previous PTI government, which had damaged Pakistan’s reputation and brought it to the brink of default.
In addition, Prime Minister Shehbaz mentioned that the federal government had previously announced a three-month relief package for domestic consumers, cutting Rs50 billion from the public sector development budget, benefiting 86 per cent of domestic consumers in Pakistan.
He also noted plans to distribute 28,000 solar panels worth Rs55 billion, with federal funds allocated to help reduce electricity theft.
