PM Imran Khan has directed Asad Umar, Zubaida Jalal to visit Gwadar, says Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed federal ministers Asad Umar and Zubaida Jalal to visit Gwadar to meet the protestors and file a comprehensive report on the issues being faced by residents of the city, said Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry.

Addressing a press conference, Fawad shared that the protest in Gwadar was discussed by the federal cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of PM Imran Khan.

“Two federal ministers Zubaida Jalal and Asad Umar will go to Gwadar on behalf of PM. They will focus on resolving the matters by talking to the protestors there,” said Fawad.

The minister reminded the journalists that Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken notice of the issues being faced by the fishermen in Gwadar.

Read more: Imran Khan takes notice of ‘legitimate’ demands of Gwadar fishermen

The minister also shared that the amount spent on drinking water projects in Gwadar was more than the money spent for Islamabad.

Fawad added that a Rs700 billion package has also been announced for Southern Balochistan out of which Rs560 billion is being provided by the centre.

Meeting of Federal Cabinet held in Islamabad with Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI in the chair pic.twitter.com/buc4hYfHEG

— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) December 14, 2021

“Despite giving so much money if the problems are not resolved then there is a need to review where the issues are occurring and why the implementation is not happening when so much money is going from the federation,” said Fawad.

He added that Umar and Jalal will make a “comprehensive report” and share it with Prime Minister Imran.

A large number of people including women and children staged protest in Gwadar since December 10, demanding provision of their rights.

Read more: Balochistan bans fishing, trawling off Gwadar coast

The fishermen are reportedly protesting against giving fishing rights to trawlers of Sindh and China within the limits of the sea touching Gwadar city. They considered it as depriving them of their livelihoods as more than two million people are linked with the fishing business in Gwadar.

The residents of the city also demand provision of clean water and removal of unnecessary check-posts.

PTI moving ahead with EVMs on points raised by PPP, PML-N

The information minister also shared the Ministry of Science and Technology has assured the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the government is ready to supply the electronic voting machines (EVMs).

“We believe that ECP should simply issue a tender of their requirements and companies that make this across the world will make it and bring it there [for testing],” said Fawad. This will be a good step and people will know how reliable the elections on EVMs will be, he added.

Read more: ECP to float tenders for purchasing EVMs, says Shibli Faraz

The minister reminded the media persons that the EVM matter was raised in 2012 by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) during Asif Zardari’s government. The discussions were then held in 2016 and then the Nawaz Sharif government directed the ECP in 2017 to develop a “comprehensive report” on EVMs, he added.

“Now we are taking forward the points raised first by PPP in 2012 and later by PML-N in 2016. And we believe that all political parties need to play a positive role on it,” said Fawad. Now the ECP has said as well that they need these machines for Islamabad elections, he added.

Fawad asks Sindh govt to work on price controls

The information minister said that the sensitive price index data has gone down for the third consecutive week. He added that once the Sehat card and ration programme of the government comes into effect the price will go down further.

He explained that apart from Sindh, from January onwards the government will bear the health expenses of the middle and lower class.

The minister claimed that Pakistan was facing “imported” inflation as it imports items from abroad.

“We get lentils from New Zealand and Australia. And we are facing an imported inflation,” said Fawad. He reiterated that Pakistan remains the cheapest country in the region in all items apart from tea.

Read more: ADB predicts higher inflation in Pakistan; revises down developing Asia’s growth outlook

But right now Pakistanis the cheapest country in the region if we do a comparison with India and

“Our tea is expensive but rest of the items be it lentils, wheat of vegetables are cheapest in the region. When we remove the health and ration budget and it will be more cheaper for our people,” said Fawad.

The minister said that when the government will provide a “30% discount” on wheat then people earning less than 50,000 will get it at a much cheaper rate than in 2018.

The minister said that the problems were occurring in Karachi, Hyderabad and Quetta.

“I will request media representative to not go on Pakistan Bureau of Statistics [data] and send their people there and check the price of wheat in Karachi and Lahore,” said Fawad.

Read more: Weekly inflation continues downward trend, says Farrukh Habib

On Quetta, the minister said the prices were high there as the wheat goes to the provincial capital from Karachi. Similarly, Sugar right now is Rs97 in Karachi and in the rest of the country it is at Rs90, he added.

“We are requesting the Sindh government to improve its [price] control [mechanism] without getting upset. And I have said it earlier that 40% of our SPI is impacted from Karachi,” said Fawad.