Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said the Centre and provinces need to set their priorities and make collective efforts to provide relief to the needy amid the global oil crisis triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran.
He was addressing a meeting in Islamabad today regarding the current situation in the region. The PM said that the Centre and provinces should utilise their resources sagaciously and curtail their development projects as much as possible while also utilising their resources on agricultural-related initiatives.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has emphasized the need to evolve a joint strategy to protect the common man, as well as the agriculture and transport sectors from the adverse impacts of the ongoing war in the region.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, members of the federal cabinet, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chairman Pakistan Peoples' Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Chief Ministers of all four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir attended the meeting.
The Prime Minister said the war in the region has entered its second month and Pakistan has been making vigorous efforts to calm the situation. He highlighted that the Deputy Prime Minister and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are playing a key role in promoting peace in the region.
Shehbaz Sharif said the war has serious implications for Pakistan's economy. He noted that the economy has stabilized after resolute and untiring efforts, and that the country was poised for progress and prosperity. He, however, added that Pakistan is now facing significant economic challenges due to the ongoing conflict.
The Prime Minister said he and his team held meetings with the provincial chief ministers and kept them informed of the situation.
He said that in the first week, the Federal Government passed on only fifty-five rupees to the public in terms of petroleum price adjustments. He added that the government provided relief to the masses amounting to 129 billion rupees by diverting development funds of 100 billion rupees.
He further noted that several austerity measures were taken to protect the common people.
Commending the special efforts of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif thanked all stakeholders, including the chief ministers, for their cooperation in successfully implementing the austerity drive.
He stressed that joint efforts are essential to protect the weaker segments of society. He said we have to adopt and implement austerity as well as conservation measures in letter and spirit.