ISLAMABAD, July 26: The government has convened a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) next month to consider a number of issues facing the federation, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told Dawn on Wednesday.
The prime minister was answering a question about the privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) which had been annulled by the Supreme Court. In its judgment, the apex court had also called for revival of the CCI.
The CCI is a constitutional body but it has been nonexistent for many years, complicating relations between the centre and federating units.
The prime minister rejected reports that he had a hand in the PSM deal.
“All government decisions are driven by national, and not personal, interests. The hallmark of our government is transparency which is well recognised,” he asserted.
Asked if the forthcoming CCI meeting had been called specifically to discuss the PSM issue, he said the government was waiting for the detailed judgment of the apex court so that any corrective measure which needed to be taken, could be implemented.
He said the process of fresh bidding for the steel mills would commence after the detailed judgment was received.
Mr Aziz pointed out that the apex court had upheld the privatisation law. “Let me say that the government fully respects the Supreme Court’s judgment and will implement it,” he said.
In reply to a question about the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project, he said Pakistan’s energy needs were increasing rapidly. “And to make Pakistan more and more self-reliant and improve its energy security, we are negotiating the IPI project with Iran and India to reach an agreement on quantity, gas pricing and other issues.”
As for the US concerns about the project, the prime minister said that Pakistan was pursing the tri-nation plan in line with its national interest. He said the negotiation process would create linkages and inter-dependencies between the three countries, thus promoting peace in the region.
Mr Aziz defended the policy to seek nuclear energy for civilian purposes, particularly 8,800 megawatts of electricity the country would be requiring by 2030.
Pakistan, he said, was exploring ‘all options’ to meet its growing energy needs under the guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Referring to the ongoing power crisis, he said short-, medium and long -term plans had been made to resolve the issue gradually.
Asked how the government hoped to achieve its economic targets in presence of trade and fiscal deficits and an over 7 per cent inflation, Mr Aziz insisted that the economy was getting stronger, with higher growth and improved tax collection.
