PM Imran announces 'biggest welfare package in Pakistan's history' to mitigate inflation impact

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday addressed the nation to announce a package to mitigate the hardships of the inflation-hit public.

At the start of his speech, the premier said the package would be "the biggest welfare programme in Pakistan's history", which he said would take the country towards becoming a welfare state.

He said the PTI government had inherited a difficult economic situation, and thanked Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China for providing the help that saved Pakistan from defaulting.

"We had to approach the IMF, we were stabilising the country for a year and then corona came," he said, lauding the NCOC for taking data-based decisions that helped Pakistan's coronavirus fight.

"We were internationally acknowledged for being one of the few countries to deal with Covid-19 in the best manner."

Fearing unemployment, the premier further said, the government imposed "small and smart" lockdowns instead of completely shutting down the economy. "We especially saved agriculture and construction, which create jobs in urban areas and [increase] exports," he added.

Recounting the government's incentives for the construction and agriculture sectors, he said the country's economic indicators were "positive".

Prime Minister Imran acknowledged that inflation was a major problem in the country, saying the media and the opposition had the right to criticise the government.

But he said the media "needs to balance and think whether inflation is rising because of our government or due to rise in prices in the international market".

Quoting rising inflation figures in Europe and the US, the premier said oil prices had risen by 100 per cent in the last 3-4 months internationally, while they had increased 33pc in Pakistan.

"When you say petrol is expensive, it is the cheapest in Pakistan, but we will have to increase the price because otherwise our deficit will increase and we will be further burdened by debt," he added.

Prime Minister Imran further said the price of wheat in Pakistan was half of that in India and Bangladesh, stressing that the government was "doing our best so that you are not burdened much".

He announced a subsidy programme to mitigate the impact of rising prices, saying it would provide relief to 20 million families and would affect 130m people.

Under the package, he said, 30 per cent subsidy would be given on ghee, flour, and pulses for the next six months.

"You will be able to buy flour, ghee and pulses at 30pc lower prices," he announced.

The package, worth Rs120 billion, is being given jointly by the federal and the provincial government. Prime Minister Imran said the package would be extended in the future if the conditions allowed.

Aside from the above, the prime minister noted that the government's flagship Ehsaas programme worth Rs260 billion was already functioning with the aim to benefit 12 million families.

"We are also launching the Kamyab Pakistan [programme] with a funding of Rs1,400 billion to give interest-free loans to 4m families," he said.

The government is also providing skills education to 200,000 people as well as 6m scholarships and school stipends, the premier added.

Additionally, he said, the entire population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been given health cards, while the same programme was likely to be launched in Punjab in December.

In his address, Prime Minister Imran also appealed to industrialists and "seths" to increase the salaries of their employees and share their profits will labourers.

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PM Imran announces 'biggest welfare package in Pakistan's history' to mitigate inflation impact

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday addressed the nation to announce a package to mitigate the hardships of the inflation-hit public.

At the start of his speech, the premier said the package would be "the biggest welfare programme in Pakistan's history", which he said would take the country towards becoming a welfare state.

He said the PTI government had inherited a difficult economic situation, and thanked Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China for providing the help that saved Pakistan from defaulting.

"We had to approach the IMF, we were stabilising the country for a year and then corona came," he said, lauding the NCOC for taking data-based decisions that helped Pakistan's coronavirus fight.

"We were internationally acknowledged for being one of the few countries to deal with Covid-19 in the best manner."

Fearing unemployment, the premier further said, the government imposed "small and smart" lockdowns instead of completely shutting down the economy. "We especially saved agriculture and construction, which create jobs in urban areas and [increase] exports," he added.

Recounting the government's incentives for the construction and agriculture sectors, he said the country's economic indicators were "positive".

Prime Minister Imran acknowledged that inflation was a major problem in the country, saying the media and the opposition had the right to criticise the government.

But he said the media "needs to balance and think whether inflation is rising because of our government or due to rise in prices in the international market".

Quoting rising inflation figures in Europe and the US, the premier said oil prices had risen by 100 per cent in the last 3-4 months internationally, while they had increased 33pc in Pakistan.

"When you say petrol is expensive, it is the cheapest in Pakistan, but we will have to increase the price because otherwise our deficit will increase and we will be further burdened by debt," he added.

Prime Minister Imran further said the price of wheat in Pakistan was half of that in India and Bangladesh, stressing that the government was "doing our best so that you are not burdened much".

He announced a subsidy programme to mitigate the impact of rising prices, saying it would provide relief to 20 million families and would affect 130m people.

Under the package, he said, 30 per cent subsidy would be given on ghee, flour, and pulses for the next six months.

"You will be able to buy flour, ghee and pulses at 30pc lower prices," he announced.

The package, worth Rs120 billion, is being given jointly by the federal and the provincial government. Prime Minister Imran said the package would be extended in the future if the conditions allowed.

Aside from the above, the prime minister noted that the government's flagship Ehsaas programme worth Rs260 billion was already functioning with the aim to benefit 12 million families.

"We are also launching the Kamyab Pakistan [programme] with a funding of Rs1,400 billion to give interest-free loans to 4m families," he said.

The government is also providing skills education to 200,000 people as well as 6m scholarships and school stipends, the premier added.

Additionally, he said, the entire population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been given health cards, while the same programme was likely to be launched in Punjab in December.

In his address, Prime Minister Imran also appealed to industrialists and "seths" to increase the salaries of their employees and share their profits will labourers.

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Noor Mukadam murder case: Zahir Jaffer kicked out of courtroom for using foul language

Zahir Jaffer, the key accused in the Noor Mukadam murder case, was kicked out of the courtroom during a hearing Wednesday after he repeatedly misbehaved and used foul language.

Forensic sketch artist Amir Shahzad, meanwhile, appeared before a district and sessions court in Islamabad and recorded his statement in the case.

During today’s hearing, the forensic artist told the court that he accurately drew the crime scene map of Noor Mukadam's murder. Additional sessions Judge Atta Rabbani heard the case.

Zahir Jaffer, the key accused in the murder case, again tried to disrupt the hearing and started calling out "Hamza, Hamza" loudly in the courtroom. “This is my court and I have to say something,” he shouted, without regard for courtroom decorum.

Despite a warning, Zahir continued using inappropriate language in the courtroom. Meanwhile, the court directed the police to remove him, but Zahir grabbed a police inspector by the neck when he tried to comply with the court’s order.

It was reported that even four policemen couldn't bring Zahir under control. It took more than four cops to transfer him out of the courtroom.

Except Zahir's counsel, all others completed the cross-examination of the forensic artist.

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Marriyum dismisses govt's upcoming relief package, says biggest relief will be PM's resignation

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday branded an expected relief package by the government an "eyewash", adding that the "biggest relief package" for the country will be Prime Minister Imran Khan's resignation.

Her statement came in the wake of the government's announcement that a "big package" is to be unveiled today in order to to deal with rising inflation and provide relief to 10 million people directly.

The government has been facing severe criticism from the opposition after the premier approved a Rs10 increase in the price of petroleum products last month. Major opposition parties, including the PML-N and the PPP, have held country-wide rallies and protests over what they termed "unprecedented inflation in the country".

In her presser today, Aurangzeb said that the prime minister's resignation was the only solution to rid the country of menaces, including inflation, unemployment and poverty.

She accused the premier of lacking the required competence to run the country. "You have no ability to decide the fate of 220 million Pakistanis. You are here to facilitate the mafia that has good terms with you," she alleged.

The PML-N leader insisted that the package Imran Khan was is to announce today would be a "cosmetic" one. She said if the prime minister actually intended to provide relief to the masses "then he should revert wheat price to Rs35 per kg and power tariff to Rs11 per unit".

She said that PM Imran had promised to eliminate corruption within the first 90 days of his government "but it proved to be an eyewash".

Aurangzeb said the prime minister had also promised to convert the PM House into a university — another promised she said "has not materialised".

"You should not add to your sins by fooling nation through addresses," she lamented.

The PML-N leader also demanded that the government make public the details of its agreement signed with the TLP.

"I condemn the loss of lives of policemen in the incident and how government representatives gave conflicting statements on the matter."

She said the government "duped" people by not announcing details of the agreement and made off with a terse statement that details would be unveiled at an "appropriate time".

The government presser should have disclosed in detail the conditions in the accord, because the country remained locked down for four days and people have the right to know about it, she added.

She added that details of the agreement should also be laid down before the parliament for discussion.

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China accuses US of ‘lack of transparency’ over submarine accident

China on Tuesday accused the US of a lack of transparency and responsibility regarding an accident in the South China Sea involving a Navy submarine last month.

At a daily briefing, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the US should provide full details of the incident that has revived a dispute between the two countries over the strategic waterway.

“We once again urge the US to give a detailed account of the accident,” he said. Two US Navy officials said the service had determined the nuclear-powered USS Connecticut struck a seamount, or underwater mountain.

The Navy has yet to fully explain how or why the sub struck the seamount or to reveal the extent of damage to the Seawolf-class submarine. Wang described what he called a lack of transparency and responsibility by the US in following up with the incident.

He said the US has so far failed to offer a clear explanation” of what the Navy nuclear submarine was doing in the area, as well as the specific location of the accident, whether it was in another country’s exclusive economic zone or even territorial waters, whether it caused a nuclear leak or damaged marine environment.

China claims sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars of international trade pass each year. Six governments claim islands, atolls and exclusive economic zones in the sea, while the US insists that freedom of navigation be maintained, reinforcing that with regular military flights and naval patrols and training missions around the region.

The Navy has said the submarines nuclear reactor and propulsion system were not damaged. The collision caused a small number of moderate and minor injuries to the crew. USNI News, which was first to report that the submarine had struck a seamount, said damage to the forward section of the sub included its ballast tanks.

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Noor Mukadam murder case: Zahir Jaffer kicked out of courtroom for using foul language

Zahir Jaffer, the key accused in the Noor Mukadam murder case, was kicked out of the courtroom during a hearing Wednesday after he repeatedly misbehaved and used foul language.

Forensic sketch artist Amir Shahzad, meanwhile, appeared before a district and sessions court in Islamabad and recorded his statement in the case.

During today’s hearing, the forensic artist told the court that he accurately drew the crime scene map of Noor Mukadam's murder. Additional sessions Judge Atta Rabbani heard the case.

Zahir Jaffer, the key accused in the murder case, again tried to disrupt the hearing and started calling out "Hamza, Hamza" loudly in the courtroom. “This is my court and I have to say something,” he shouted, without regard for courtroom decorum.

Despite a warning, Zahir continued using inappropriate language in the courtroom. Meanwhile, the court directed the police to remove him, but Zahir grabbed a police inspector by the neck when he tried to comply with the court’s order.

It was reported that even four policemen couldn't bring Zahir under control. It took more than four cops to transfer him out of the courtroom.

Except Zahir's counsel, all others completed the cross-examination of the forensic artist.

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23 die as coach plunges into ravine in Azad Kashmir

At least 23 people were killed and over nine injured when a passenger bus plunged into a ravine in Azad Jammu Kashmir’s Pallandri area, police said Wednesday.

More than 30 passengers were on board the ill-fated bus, which was on its way to Rawalpindi.

Earlier, the police had shared that only seven passengers died, but increased the death toll after a while.

The bodies and injured have been shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Baloch.

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