Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday, while taking serious notice of inflated prices of essential commodities despite reduction in petroleum rates, directed the relevant authorities at federal and provincial levels to take necessary action.

He asked the National Price Monitoring Committee to monitor the prices of essential commodities on a weekly basis as already directed by the federal cabinet and devise a mechanism to bring down the prices of essential commodities.

In a letter addressed to chief ministers and chief secretaries of four provinces and Gilgit Baltistan, and also to Adviser on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, the prime minister stressed that the benefit of price reduction of fuel be passed on to the common man. “The prime minister has desired that the chief ministers/chief secretaries of the provinces shall personally look into the matter and make every effort to ensure that the impact of the reduction of fuel prices must correspondingly reflect in the prices of essential commodities on daily basis,” an excerpt of the letter read, as shared by the PM Media Office.

“The prime minister has taken serious view of the fact that while the federal government has reduced POL prices drastically in the past few months, there is no corresponding reduction in the prices of essential commodities rather these are showing upward trend,” it said. The prime minister mentioned that ‘there is no logic as to why flour prices should increase when harvesting of the wheat crop has just recently been concluded’.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan along with Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, federal ministers Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and SAPM Dr Moeed Yousuf visited the headquarters of the Inter-Services Intelligence. Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt General Faiz Hamid received the prime minister on his arrival at the headquarters.

A comprehensive briefing was given to the prime minister encompassing complex regional and domestic challenges with special focus on Pakistan’s efforts for restoration of peace and stability. The prime minister emphasized that no effort should be spared for national security and sovereignty. Sacrifices and tireless efforts of the Inter-Service Intelligence for national security were deeply appreciated by the prime minister.