LAHORE, Feb 9: Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro said on Saturday the government was planning to overcome gas and power shortages on a priority basis, adopting an investor-friendly policy.

He was speaking at a function organised by the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) here at Alhamra to give auto and motorcycle rickshaws to applicants under the bank’s Rozgar Scheme initiated by President Pervez Musharraf. Total 500 rickshaws will be given under the scheme.

The caretaker prime minister gave keys of rickshaws to 10 recipients, announcing the approval of a plan under which the unemployed would now get pickups through the NBP loans up to Rs700,000. “The government will also allow small business loans under the same scheme,” Mr Soomro said.

Governor Khalid Maqbool and Caretaker Chief Minister Justice Ejaz Nisar (retired) were also present on the occasion.

Some of those already benefiting from the scheme were allowed to speak highly of it at the stage. The first one was wearing a suit and his dress raised questions among the audience whether all the recipients were genuinely unemployed people.

Feeling the reaction, the governor said the suit indicated that the scheme was successful and it was giving good living to people.

Mr Soomro said Pakistan’s greatest asset was its people and the biggest challenge unemployment. He said another challenge was of bringing improvement in the people’s living standards which could be met by making their incomes better and improving infrastructure and social sector.

He said the government had done a lot for improving infrastructure in the sectors like education and health, but much was yet to be done in this regard. He said the government was adopting investment-friendly policies and concentrating on technical education so that the people could earn livelihood by acquiring some technical skills.

He praised the NBP and Khushali Bank for advancing small loans to the poor. “I especially thank the NBP for showing kindness of adopting the Rozgar Scheme as against the policies of banks which do not otherwise show compassion,” he said.

Mr Soomro said other commercial banks would also launch the Rozgar Scheme, and announced that like Punjab all the provinces would facilitate registration of rickshaws being given through NBP loans. The registration would be the responsibility of the bank, he added.

Later, talking to reporters, he said the government would redress all complaints of the opposition regarding its allegations of pre-poll rigging, provided it came up with solid proofs.

He said elections would be held on Feb 18 and the caretaker government was totally neutral. He said he was not aware of any plan to form a national government in the country.

Governor Khalid Maqbool said unlike the previous yellow cab and green tractors schemes that failed because of favouritism, the Rozgar Scheme was transparent under which only the deserving people were being given easy loans.

“We could have taken political benefit of the scheme in the present electioneering by issuing five auto-rickshaws to people in our own constituencies. But, we are running it honestly only to benefit the deserving people,” he said.

The governor said it was being said that the country was facing problems because an elected government was not running it. The reality was that the existing set up had resolved issues like the flour crisis in just three weeks, he said.

He said the Bachat Card scheme introduced by President Musharraf on Friday would be launched at all Lahore Utility Stores on Monday (Feb 11). Under this scheme, he said, 40 million people would be provided flour, sugar, and cooking oil at lower rates under a Rs36 billion subsidy.

He requested Mr Soomro to also expand the Rozgar Scheme to the issuance of loans for pickups, taxis and small business to benefit more people. Other private commercial banks should also be asked to take part in this public welfare scheme, he added.

He announced that the Punjab government would facilitate trouble-free registration of all rickshaws being given under the scheme.

NBP President Syed Ali Raza also spoke on the occasion and explained various features of the scheme.