ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that, under the prime minister’s direction to prioritise an increase in exports, no restrictions had been imposed on industries importing raw materials following the finalisation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervaiz Malik, in response to a question from MNA Mussarat Rafique Mahesar, told the house that the Ministry of Finance has not imposed any restrictions on raw material imports post-IMF programme, adding that government’s efforts to boost exports have been scaled up alongside initiatives to enhance business competitiveness and provide access to finance to meet exporters’ working capital needs.

In reply to a supplementary query from MNA Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, he emphasised the need for distinguishing between inflation and price hike mechanisms, explaining that a decline in inflation indicates a reduced rate of price hikes, as commodity prices cannot be raised rapidly.

Earlier, Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti said that under the National Tariff Policy 2019, the government has rationalised 6,500 tariff lines out of a total of 7,580 and reduced 2,198 tariff lines to zero. He also mentioned that Rs22 billion in relief has been provided to industry and traders, and the government is organising trade expos to boost the country’s exports.

Delay in cancer treatment project

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday took serious notice of the delay in the free cancer treatment project, which is to be developed with the assistance of an international company providing Rs2 billion in funding.

The speaker expressed his concerns during a question hour session after reviewing the response to a query from MNA Syed Rafiullah. Speaker Sadiq emphasised that the project is intended to provide lifesaving treatment for cancer patients and should not be postponed until the next budget. Instead, it should be prioritised, with efforts made to secure funding from other sources.

He vowed to personally request the Planning Division secretary and the minister for planning to arrange funding for the project. The speaker directed the parliamentary secretary for planning to obtain a written response from the health ministry regarding the delay. He asserted that the health ministry should be held accountable, as this project is crucial for saving lives.

Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and Development Wajiha Qamar informed the house that the project is significant for the Islamabad, AJK & GB, adding that Rs2bn would be contributed by Rosch, while the federal government would provide Rs789 million for lung, breast and hepatocellular cancers.

She said the PC-I for this project was submitted to the Planning Commission on Sept 18.

According to Public Financial Management (PFM) rules, it could not be included in the current Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) as its duration lapses in March 2025.

She added that since it is not classified as a development project, it could receive recurring budget funding from the Finance Division in the form of a grant of Rs789m over five years.

However, if it were to be considered a development project, funding could only be sanctioned in the next financial budget.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2024