Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday while taking strict notice of public complaints about inflated electricity bills, directed the authorities concerned to submit an urgent report and recommendations on the matter.

The prime minister, chairing an urgent meeting to discuss the complaints on the inflated bills, resolved not to sit idle until the public complaints were addressed.

“Khadim-e-Pakistan is answerable to his people for resolution of their grievances. I am committed to speaking truth to my people,” he remarked.

Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir, Special Assistant to PM Ahad Cheema and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to pay a two-day official visit to Qatar from August 23-24 on the invitation of the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. This will be the prime minister’s first visit to the State of Qatar since assuming office in April 2022. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including key members of the cabinet.

During the visit, the prime minister will hold in-depth consultations with the Qatari leadership. The two sides will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on advancing energy-related cooperation, deepening trade and investment ties, and exploring greater employment opportunities for Pakistanis in Qatar. Views on a range of regional and international issues of mutual interest would also be exchanged.

While in Doha, Prime Minister Sharif will also engage with leading Qatari and Pakistani business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs. He will visit “Stadium 974” in Doha, where he would be briefed on the extensive preparations undertaken by the Qatari government to host the FIFA World Cup.

Pakistan and Qatar enjoy close and cordial fraternal ties, rooted deep in shared faith, mutual trust and understanding, and close cooperation. The relationship is marked by growing collaboration in all fields of bilateral interest as well as close coordination on regional and international issues.

Qatar is home to more than 200,000 Pakistanis, who are contributing to the progress, prosperity and economic development of the two brotherly countries.

Regular leadership-level exchanges are a hallmark of the Pakistan-Qatar partnership. The prime minister’s visit to Qatar will impart a renewed impetus to deepening cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields and further strengthen their growing economic partnership.

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Finland and desired cooperation in diverse fields.

The prime minister expressed these views in a meeting with Ulla-Maija Rantapuska, Investment Manager, Finnfund, Finland, accompanied by; Wille Eerola, Honorary Consul General of Pakistan for Finland.Mentioning the business-friendly policies adopted by the current government, the prime minister said Pakistan had great opportunities for investment in information technology, energy, agriculture, industries and e-commerce sector.

Ulla-Maija Rantapuska informed the prime minister about the interest Finnfund had in investing in the areas of renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, financial institutions and digital infrastructure solutions in Pakistan.She also mentioned that Finnfund has already invested US$3 million equity of 17.59 percent shareholding in TPL Insurance Limited, Pakistan’s first direct insurance company.The prime minister appreciated the proposals of Finnfund and assured that the government would facilitate the Finnfund in the said ventures.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on Monday wherein he reviewed the ongoing rescue and relief operations in flood-hit Sindh and Balochistan provinces as well as the disbursement of cash relief among the affected people. On Sunday, the prime minister had also telephonically discussed the prevailing flood situation with Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority Lt. General Akhtar Nawaz. Owing to the disconnectivity of land routes due to the flood-caused destruction of road infrastructure, the rescue and relief operations were facing hiccups.

The prime minister had instructed for the provision of helicopters where the floods had damaged roads and bridges, to ensure uninterrupted relief operation.