ISLAMABAD: The government intends to provide targeted subsidies on petroleum products, Minister of State for Finance Aisha Ghaus Pasha informed the National Assembly on Monday.
In response to various follow-up questions during Question Hour, she stated that the rate of inflation increased from 24.5 percent in December to 27.6 percent in January. Due to a number of factors, including the Russia-Ukraine war, higher global commodity prices, currency depreciation, and fiscal consolidation measures taken to improve the nation’s macroeconomic conditions, she added, the average inflation rate from July 2022 to January 2023 reached 25.4 percent. She claimed that because of the long-lasting effects of the floods, wheat and other food items had to be imported at a higher cost. However, the government was working tirelessly to help the average person.
The minister said the government has enhanced the stipends under Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) to support deserving families.
Ramadan package has also been given to provide essential commodities to the people at reduced rates, she said.
The minister said the government was making all-out efforts to bring down inflation having both domestic and international factors. However, she said they needed provincial governments’ cooperation to check the price hike.
To another question, she said the government was also giving priority to tax revenue mobilization in view of the current economic challenges and to reduce deficits. A committee has also been set up to expedite tax cases pending in different courts, she said.
To another question, the minister said there were 140 non-custom paid confiscated auction-able vehicles which could not be auctioned and lying for over one year in various customs directorates. There was no maximum period for auctioning of the confiscated vehicles, she said.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Interior, Abdul Rehman Khan Kanju, stated during a session of the National Assembly on Monday that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was actively collaborating with international organisations to combat the issue of human trafficking.
Responding to a calling attention notice regarding incidents of human trafficking, he said, “The Government of Pakistan is collaborating with the international organisations including UNODC to tackle human trafficking.”
Sharing the details with the House, he stated that a ministerial committee, headed by the Minister for Interior and comprising chief secretaries, was working round the clock to check human trafficking.
The minister said an inter-agency task force had also been established to monitor the routes being used for human trafficking. He also urged people not to use illegal channels to move abroad.
He said the capacity building of the relevant departments was also underway to enable them for dealing with this menace.
