Power bills: IMF asks Pakistan to share relief plan in writing

By -
Power bills: IMF asks Pakistan to share relief plan in writing
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday asked Pakistan to share the plan in writing to provide relief in electricity bills as the protests continue countrywide.

According to media report, the development comes after the caretaker government decided to seek the lender's nod before announcing any relief to the consumers.

A meeting of the federal cabinet was held on Tuesday with interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar in the chair to mull options but ended without announcing any measures.

The Power Division shared its proposals with the authorities but due to strict IMF loan conditions, it was concluded that the lender should be taken on board first.

Islamabad had signed a $3 billion loan agreement with the Fund in July and agreed to stringent financial discipline during the programme.

Under the bailout package, the previous government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement okayed a massive increase in electricity rates which are now being reflected in the bills.

As per the cabinet instructions, Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar held a virtual meeting with IMF representative Esther Perez and discussed relief measures, report said.

They were briefed on the current situation as protests continue unabated across the country.

The Pakistani team submitted various proposals for relief in electricity bills but the IMF officials sought the relief plan in writing which would be shared with them today, report added.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

At least 11 dead, others injured after train catches fire near Rahim Yar Khan

By Admin -
Image
At least 11 passengers lost their lives and 30 others sustained burn injuries when three carriages of a Tezgam Express caught fire due to explosion in a gas stove, according to initial reports. Meanwhile, firefighters have initiated a rescue operation to extinguish the fire and other passengers are being evacuated from the train to safe places. The affected carriages are being separated from the train. The train, Tezgam, was on its way from Karachi to Rawalpindi, when a gas cylinder carried by a passenger exploded, leaving several dead and injured. The fire was caused by the explosion in a gas cylinder, confirmed the Pakistan Railways official. According to details, the passengers were cooking breakfast when the gas cylinder exploded. After the blast, the raging fire engulfed two other coaches as well. Fire fighters were still extinguishing the fire as per last reports.
Read more

Three soldiers martyred in terrorist attack on checkpost in Balochistan’s Zarghoon

By -
Image
As many as three soldiers embraced martyrdom and one terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists in Zarghun, the area of Balochistan on Saturday. According to the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), an operation was launched in the area against suspected terrorists who attacked a security post. “Troops on the post retaliated readily to the fire raid thereby, pushing back the terrorists,” stated the military’s media wing. In the ensuing exchange of fire, three soldiers were martyred while one terrorist was also killed. The military identified the martyred soldiers as Sepoy Zaheer Ahmed, Sepoy Mudassir Shaheed and Lance Naik Abdul Qadeer. The ISPR stated that the post had recently been established to “check extortion efforts targeting coal mines in the area”. “Based on follow-up ISR effort, likely hideout of fleeing terrorists has been identified in nearby mountains and a deliberate blocking and sanitisation op...
Read more

Legal process to try May 9 planners, perpetrators under army act begins: COAS

By -
Image
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has said that the legal process of trial against planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators involved in the May 9 mayhem has commenced under Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act as per existing and established legal procedures derived from the Constitution. The army chief's statement came as he visited Jinnah House and an army installation in Lahore, which were blatantly attacked and vandalised by “politically motivated” rioters, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a handout. The COAS was also given a briefing on events of May 9 dubbed by the military as ‘Black Day’ — the day when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters ransacked and torched military installations across the country following the arrest of their leader Imran Khan in a graft case. Addressing the garrison officers and soldiers at Corps Headquarters, Gen Munir emphasised that any action aimed at widening a gulf between people and the milita...
Read more