• Decides to launch crackdown on hoarders of sugar, wheat flour
• Shibli says shipments of imported sugar, wheat due next month

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday allowed parliamentarians to become members of the boards of government departments, authorities and commissions provided they do not avail any perks and privileges in the process.

The cabinet meeting, which was presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan, also decided to launch a massive crackdown against hoarders of sugar and wheat flour in the country.

According to the PM Office’s media wing, cabinet members highly appreciated the prime minister for what they called “his dynamic leadership role to successfully counter the internal and external challenges” in the last two years of the government.

“Now parliamentarians can become members of boards of those departments whose laws (Act) allow them to become members,” said Minister for Information Senator Shibli Faraz while talking to Dawn after his post-meeting presser.

The minister said there was no bar that only ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) parliamentarians could become members of the boards as anyone from the opposition could also become members.

Sugar, wheat import

To ensure availability of sugar and wheat flour in the market and stability in their prices, the cabinet decided to launch a massive crackdown against hoarders of the two commodities.

The cabinet was apprised that Trade Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) on Tuesday opened tenders for import of 300,000 tonnes of sugar. “Shipments of imported sugar will start arriving from Sept 7 and there will be no sugar shortage in the country,” the minister said.

He said the decision to import sugar was taken to ensure adequate supply of the commodity and to keep its prices stable.

Senator Faraz said Mr Khan had tasked federal Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar and Punjab’s senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan with holding another round of talks with sugar mill owners so that they reduce price of sugar voluntarily.

In order to overcome shortage of wheat flour, the government opened tenders for import of 540,000 tonnes of wheat, he said, adding that “65,000 metric tonnes will arrive between Sept 24 and Oct 1”.

The minister said the cabinet took a separate decision for the revival of state-run Pakistan Television (PTV). “We are coming up with a new plan that will revive PTV,” he said, adding that liabilities of PTV had gone up to Rs13 billion.

Regarding pension issue, the minister said PM Khan was concerned about pension of retired government employees and the cabinet decided to seek assistance of international experts in pension system.

In reply to a question, he said the federal government had been playing its role in cleanliness and development of Karachi. “Karachi is a commercial hub of the country and everyone has to play his role for its development, but unfortunately the Sindh government treated Karachi like a stepchild,” he added.

The minister also criticised leaders of the opposition PML-N for what he called creating hurdles for the government.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2020