Spokesman Report

ISLAMABAD:Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday announced massive saving of Rs 28 billion on buying of petrol for 14 million poor families to protect them from effects of inflation.

In his address to the nation, he said every family registered with the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will get a monthly relief of Rs 2000 on petrol buying. About one third of the country’s population or 85 million people will benefit from the financial relief.

He directed the Utility Stores Corporation to provide the 10 kilogramme flour bag for Rs 400.

The Prime Minister said the government took the difficult decision of raising prices of petroleum products to save Pakistan’s economy from a precarious situation and economic default.

Shehbaz Sharif was elected to the office of prime minister by Pakistan Muslim League(N) and the allied parties in April.The PM said he was given responsibility after people’s demand that parties in opposition should immediately get rid of the previous incapable and corrupt government which sunk the national economy with its disastrous policies.He thanked PML(N) and allied parties for putting their confidence in him and said support of the allied parties was a matter of strength for him.The PM said opposition parties responded to the call of the people and removed the previous prime minister through democratic and constitutional means.For the first time, the government was changed through a constitutional process and open doors which was a win for democracy and the people, he remarked. Shehbaz said during his three decades of public service, he did not see such a huge damage which was caused by Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) government with its mismanagement and bad governance.“We accepted the challenge to save Pakistan. It was clear to us that in order to put Pakistan on the right track great hard work was needed.”He said the previous government left behind innumerable stories of corruption and with their behavior of victimization, anger and incivility,   PTI leaders tore apart the social fabric and cultivated “a crop of hate”.He said the former prime minister for the sake of his nefarious political designs, came up with the story of a false foreign letter.However, the National Security Committee categorically stated twice that there was no conspiracy behind the ousting of the former prime minister and Pakistan’s ambassador in the United States also rejected the story of conspiracy, he explained.“But the person was telling lies for his heinous political aims and was damaging Pakistan’s vital national interests.”He said if any person thought his arrogance was above the constitution and national institutions he was wrong.“Pakistan will move forward according to the constitution and not according to arrogance of a person.” He recalled that during the period of Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan was making distinctive progress but then Imran Khan staged the drama of sit ins at a time when the Chinese President Xi Jinping was about to undertake a visit to Pakistan to sign historic agreement of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC.