PM Imran to chair federal cabinet meeting today
The prime minister is scheduled to visit Foreign Office
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – In less than a week after taking oath, Prime Minister Imran Khan will preside over second meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad today (Friday).
The meeting will discuss future strategy of the new government in different spheres of life.
Durring the meeting, finance ministry officials will brief Imran Khan over the economic issues of the country.
The federal cabinet is expected to approve annulation of Ministry of Capital Administration and Development (CAD) and will recommend putting institutions under it in Cabinet division, informed sources.
On Monday, Imran Khan chaired the first meeting of his Cabinet during which strategies to shape the new Pakistan government s policies were discussed, hours after the President administered oath to his 21-member team.
Foreign Office Visit
The prime minister is also scheduled to visit Foreign Office before the Cabinet meeting where he will be briefed about the performance of Foreign Office and Pakistani diplomats.
Humanitarian Assistance
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his grief at the loss of lives in Kerala floods. He said his country is ready to provide any humanitarian assistance.
On behalf of the people of Pakistan, we send our prayers and best wishes to those who have been devastated by the floods in Kerala, India. We stand ready to provide any humanitarian assistance that may be needed.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 23, 2018
In his tweet, Khan said: “On behalf of the people of Pakistan, we send our prayers and best wishes to those who have been devastated by the floods in Kerala, India. We stand ready to provide any humanitarian assistance that may be needed.”
The devastating floods in Kerala has left over 300 dead in a fortnight and forced nearly one million people out of their homes.
Khan’s Address to Nation
Khan, who was sworn-in as Pakistan s 22nd Prime Minister had vowed to initiate massive economic and tax reforms, launch an austerity drive to cut deficit, curb corruption and bring back laundered money.
The former cricket star turned politician spoke for more than an hour in a live televised address on August 19, saying he wants to see "Pakistan a great country" with social services for the poor.
He also lamented the growing divide between rich and poor in the Muslim-majority nation of some 200 million people.
He said he would enact austerity measures to ease pressures on the economy and bring down Pakistan’s foreign debt, which now stands at more than $95 billion.
"The interest that we have to pay on our debt has reached a level that we have to take on more debt just to repay our obligations," said Khan. He called on Pakistanis living overseas to put their money in Pakistan’s banks to help the country emerge from the current financial crisis.
Khan also addressed topics not usually taken up by Pakistani prime ministers, such as fighting child sex abuse and climate change. He said he would bid to improve relations with neighboring countries, although he did not specify which countries.
Khan s government is the third consecutive democratic government in Pakistan since 2008 when Gen Musharraf announced elections after serving as president from 2001 to 2008 following a bloodless coup in 1999.
The PPP formed the government in 2008, followed by the PML-N led by jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2013.
