Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clarified on Tuesday that the relief provided on electricity units by the Punjab government is entirely funded by the province’s own resources, with no involvement from the federal government.

Addressing the federal cabinet meeting, Sharif said, “The relief provided on electricity units by the Punjab government is from their own funds. The federal government has no role in it. Other provinces are welcome to follow suit.”

The Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government had announced a relief of Rs14 per unit for consumers using up to 500 units across the province for two months, following Nawaz Sharif’s directives.

Referring to the relief, Shehbaz Sharif said the province allocated Rs45 billion from its development funds for this purpose. “This is a gift from the Punjab government to its people. The federal government has not contributed to it,” he stressed.

The prime minister expressed disappointment over negative comments regarding this relief. “It is unfortunate that we hear negative remarks about this initiative. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) minister claimed that the federal government gave relief to Punjab, which is completely unfair. K-P should follow Punjab’s lead in providing relief to its people,” Sharif said, urging provincial governments to refrain from politicising such matters and distorting facts.

He assured that his government would make decisions in consultation with the IMF, unlike the “reckless decisions” made by the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) administration, which, according to him, nearly led the country to default.

The prime minister in the cabinet meeting highlighted that inflation has dropped to an 11.5% year-on-year rate, down from 38% over the past three years. The prime minister emphasised the need to meet revenue and tax targets set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stating that there would be no compromise on achieving these goals. He also called for a reduction in power sector losses.

Sharif recalled that the federal government had cut the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) budget by Rs50 billion to provide three months of relief to 86% of domestic consumers. He mentioned a plan to distribute 28,000 solar panels in Balochistan, with the federal government contributing Rs55 billion, to curb electricity theft.

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Israr Khan Kakar, the newly elected President of the Oxford Union, during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad.

Israr Khan Kakar, originally from Pakistan’s Balochistan province, has made history by being elected to lead the prestigious debating society at the University of Oxford.

The Prime Minister warmly welcomed Israr and praised his achievements, highlighting that young talents like him are the cornerstone of Pakistan’s bright future.

He remarked that Israr’s election as President of the Oxford Union is a testament to his perseverance and unwavering determination.

The Prime Minister mentioned the establishment of the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund, which reserves 20% of its quota for Balochistan’s youth, providing them with opportunities for higher education.

During the meeting, Israr invited the Prime Minister to speak at the Oxford Union and expressed his appreciation for the government’s efforts to empower the youth and provide equal opportunities for development.

Israr reaffirmed the commitment of Pakistani youth, including himself, to contribute to the country’s progress and prosperity.

Moreover, a five-member delegation from technology giant Meta, led by Vice President for Asia Pacific Simon Milner, met with the Prime Minister in Islamabad on Tuesday to explore potential collaboration opportunities in IT and AI in Pakistan.

In a discussion with the delegation, the prime minister highlighted the immense potential in Pakistan’s information technology and digital media sectors. He also noted that, for the first time in the country’s history, a record budget has been allocated to promote information technology. The prime minister expressed his intention to leverage Meta’s expertise in information technology and artificial intelligence. He also instructed the relevant authorities to address and resolve all issues related to Meta’s operations in Pakistan.

The Meta delegation informed the prime minister about the company’s services in Pakistan and the Asia Pacific region. They also highlighted that Meta has organized the region’s first artificial intelligence competition in Pakistan.

Both sides reiterated working together for the development and promotion of digital media and artificial intelligence sectors in Pakistan.