• Asks aide to review billions of rupees given in subsidies
• Shibli says Amir Liaquat didn’t hand over resignation to PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed his adviser on finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh to form a “special cell” to review subsidies of billions of rupees being given to different sectors and ensure their effective utilisation to give maximum relief to people.

“A special cell should be formed to review subsidies in all sectors for their better utilisation and benefits to maximum number of people,” the prime minister said while presiding over a meeting of a think tank on economic situation of the country.

He highlighted the need for a comprehensive review of subsidies the government is giving to different sectors to provide relief to people to ensure that the money allocated for subsidies was being spent in a transparent manner.

During the meeting, the prime minister was given a briefing on the subsidies being given to electricity, gas, fertiliser and housing sectors, the National Highway Authority (NHA), Utility Stores Corporation, social welfare programme Ehsaas, exports and other sectors.

Mr Khan said the basic objective of subsidies was to provide relief and assistance to poor and deserving people. “The basic idea of forming a special cell is to give comprehensive recommendations for effective utilisation of subsidies,” he added.

According to the Prime Minister Office (PMO), the basic idea behind the think tank was to review important economic issues, seek recommendations and devise future strategy for economic uplift.

However, the official press release made no mention of the structure, formation of the special cell or who will be its head.

Lauding transparent and timely disbursement of stipend to the needy people under Ehsaas cash distribution programme, the prime minister highlighted the need for taking advantage of the Ehsaas database for provision of electricity, gas, utility stores and other subsidies to the people.

Federal Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar, Information Minister Shibli Faraz, Minister for Power Omar Ayub, PM’s aides Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Nadeem Babar, Dr Ishrat Hussain and Dr Sania Nishtar attended the meeting, while former finance minister Shaukat Tareen, businessmen Arif Habib, Sultan Ali Alana and Ijaz Nabi joined the meeting through video link.

Amir Liaquat’s resignation

Earlier, the TV anchor and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader from Karachi called on the prime minister and presented his resignation for what he called “being helpless” public representative to address public issues such as lack of uplift of his constituency and long electricity load-shedding.

However, he said, the prime minister rejected his resignation and asked him to continue to raise issues of public importance.

When contacted, Information Minister Shibli Faraz told Dawn that the PTI leader did not give his resignation. He said: “No, he [Amir Liaquat] has not given his resignation to the prime minister.”

Interestingly, Mr Liaquat after meeting the PM tweeted that he had presented his four-page resignation to the premier and expressed his helplessness in solving people’s problems in his constituency, but the premier rejected the resignation.

Last week, the PTI leader had announced that he would meet the prime minister and present his resignation. Before meeting the prime minister on Monday, he posted on the social media that he was on his way to the PM to give his resignation.

Mr Liaquat had won a National Assembly seat from NA-245 in the 2018 general elections. The former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader had earlier served as minister for religious affairs in the Gen Musharraf regime.

PM meets Raja Basharat

In a separate meeting, the prime minister and Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat discussed various legal and constitutional matters.

The prime minister also met his adviser on climate change Malik Amin Aslam and special assistant on youth affairs Usman Dar.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2020