Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar has told the public that the government is reforming and cutting spending.
In reaction to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s press conference, Atta Tarar held a press conference himself. He said that Abbasi’s statement about giving Rs500 billion to MNAs and MPAs for development expenditures in national and provincial assemblies is incorrect. According to him, PSDP’s size is 1500 billion rupees. Our ex-colleagues must give the correct figures; perhaps they misread the documents.
The Federal Minister of Information announced the Public Works Department (PWD) closure. The Finance Minister is considering downsizing/rightsizing. The Prime Minister and cabinet members have voluntarily stopped receiving salaries or benefits, and they have restricted travel expenses. The cabinet has taken the lead in cost-cutting measures. Many departments/divisions will be closed or merged, reducing expenditures.
He stressed expanding the tax net, saying nonfilers would have to become filers. At the same time, relief should be provided wherever possible as financial capacity increases. They also mentioned that they would complete the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) by August and expect better economic conditions in the next few months.
According to Tarar, transparency is a priority and a fundamental principle of our government.
They added that they are fully aware of fiscal indiscipline and are taking significant steps to curb it. This includes rationalizing expenditures and introducing measures to curb unnecessary spending habits within different departments/agencies, creating an environment that enables sustainable development with efficient resource utilization.
Atta Tarar assured people that their efforts would create a solid economic framework benefiting all strata of society. He urged them to support and actively participate in these initiatives to build a prosperous Pakistan. Your support and participation are crucial to our success.
