Imran Khan directs steps to cut prices of essential items

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the relevant authorities to take necessary measures for bringing down the prices of essential commodities so that maximum relief could be provided to the common man.

Chairing a meeting to review the overall economic situation in the country, the prime minister was apprised of inflationary trend in the international commodity market and petroleum prices.

Prime Minister Khan said: “Like our exemplary response to [the] Covid-19 pandemic, we are working hard to mitigate [the] negative impacts of international inflation, especially in petroleum products and food items.”

Stabilising macroeconomic indicators in the country was the government’s top priority to spur economic growth, he added.

Earlier, the prime minister was briefed about the overall economic situation in the country.

Economic Affairs Minister Omar Ayub Khan, Energy Minister Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Industries Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Information Minister Ch Fawad Hussain, Minister for National Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser on Finance Shaukat Tarin, Special Assistant to PM Dr Shehbaz Gill and State Bank of Pakistan Governor Dr Reza Baqir attended the meeting.