Development of Karachi, Balochistan top priority of PTI govt: Fawad

Dunya News

The minister says cabinet also decided to merge ERRA chairman employees in the NDMA

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said that the development of Karachi and Balochistan is the top priority of the government.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan after a meeting of federal cabinet, which was presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said that the federal cabinet decided to constitute a high-power committee to cure Karachi’s woes. The task force would be led by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor, he said.

The minister said that Karachi has expressed confidence in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and came out of the linguistic politics for the first time. Karachi has been fully given representation in the federation.

Development of Karachi is the agenda of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) agenda, he said and added the federal government will take Sindh government in confidence.

The information minister said there were complaints that the funds for the development of Karachi have not been properly utilized.

Chaudhry went on to say that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had played with the country, adding that startling facts have come out regarding LNG terminal. “The government has decided to conduct audit of all terminals, including the LNG Terminal,” he added.

He said: “The government will stand by the farmers to resolve their problems and they would be paid on time. The orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan have been conveyed to the provincial governments in this regard.

“The government has decided to hand over administrative apparatus of tribal areas to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Secretariat by abolishing FATA Secretariat,” Fawad said.

He said that provinces will reduce their share in National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to give a three percent share for development of erstwhile FATA. He said the Prime Minister has directed the Minister of Finance Asad Umar to have meetings on fast track basis with provinces to take them onboard.

He said that the cabinet also decided to merge the Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) chairman and employees in the National Disaster Management Authority Pakistan (NDMA).