Approves Rs28bn subsidy for deserving families
ISLAMABAD
The federal cabinet has felicitated the nation on rejecting the long march of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and lauded the law enforcement agencies on performing their duties efficiently, saying any ‘anti-state’ march in the future will be dealt with an iron hand.
This was stated by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah who along with Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mahmood and Prime Minister’s Advisor Qamar Zaman Kaira was briefing the media about the decisions taken by the federal cabinet, which met on Tuesday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair.
The interior minister said that Prime Minister Sharif mentioned that he had directed the Interior Ministry and the law enforcement agencies not to carry any weapon at the venue of the long march. Rana said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan used resources of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in his march and gathered armed groups in the KP House a day ahead of the long march. Also, the chief minister of Gilgit Baltistan attacked the police personnel, he added.
He alleged that it was not a democratic march and he has proposed the federal cabinet to allow registration of criminal cases under Pakistan Penal Code against those responsible for violence in the march and issuing inflammatory statements against the federation.
He said a committee has been constituted to review provocative statements of the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The interior minister assured that no one will be allowed to make a siege of the federal capital.
Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Asad Mahmood said the government will not let anyone harm peace in the country. He said the writ of the state will be ensured.
Qamar Zaman Kaira said Imran Khan should keep it in mind that the law will take its course if anyone violates it.
Separately addressing a news conference on Tuesday, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri has said that the Federal Cabinet has approved the provision of Rs28 billion as subsidy for deserving families announced by the prime minister in view of hike in petroleum prices.
She said the government will disburse this amount through a targeted subsidy among 14 million families. She said the increase in prices of petroleum products was a difficult decision, but the government took this step in the larger interest of the national economy.
The minister said that Rs2,000 will be given to each family under the package from next month, and 38 percent of the total population will benefit from this programme.
