Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would soon announce a ‘mega relief package’ for direct facilitation to over 10 million citizens bearing brunt of global inflation.
In a media talk alongside Special Assistant to the PM on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill after a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s core committee, the minister said that two major agendas, including a mega package to control inflation and the upcoming local government elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, came under discussion during the meeting.
The minister said that the core committee expressed concerns over the constant increase in fuel prices in international market. “Though, the government has taken numerous steps to prevent its impact to pass on to masses, but ‘the concerning thing is that as to how long will it be controlled,” he added.
The meeting also discussed an action plan to deal with the energy issues, he added.
“There has been confusion that either the elections of mayors of cities and districts in Punjab would be held directly or indirectly. It has been decided that the elections would be held in a direct way and the cities will elect their own mayors through direct elections,” the minister said while divulging the details about upcoming local government polls in the two provinces.
“This was the promise made by the prime minister to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from the very first day that he would ensure direct democracy. Now, its preparations are in final stages,” he maintained.
Fawad said that the process for nomination of candidates for local bodies’ elections would be started soon as all the preparations have been finalised in this regard and the party workers, especially in Punjab, have been told to mobilise political workers.
Likewise, the campaign for local bodies’ elections is also underway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added.
The core committee also discussed issues pertaining to the Election Commission of Pakistan, including the notices served upon him and Minister for Railways Azam Swati, and called for their withdrawal.
Shahbaz Gill said that the PM is expected to address the nation soon to take people into confidence on the current economic situation in the country and share details of the inflation package.
