Now govt will provide relief to industrial consumers, says Nawaz

Former prime minister and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that after providing relief to domestic consumers in their electricity bills, the government will now provide relief to industrial consumers, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Speaking at the emergency meeting of the PML-N stalwarts at his residence in Model Town, Lahore, he alleged that the PTI government had left the masses at the mercy of inflation.  “It is only the PML-N government that will rid the people of inflated electricity bills,” he claimed.

The former prime minister was of the view that only the PML-N government could steer the country out of crises and provide relief to the masses in difficult circumstances. “Resurrecting the country’s economy is a top priority for the government,” he said, adding, “The government will do whatever is required for strengthening the country’s economy.”

The participants, on the occasion, heaped praise on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif for providing relief to consumers.

They said that the real test of a leader was whether he or she came up to the expectations of people.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the occasion, briefed the meeting about the government’s economic policies.

According to sources in the PML-N, the meeting has decided to get the new Local Bodies Act 2024 approved by the Punjab Assembly as soon as possible.

The participants also agreed to hold local bodies elections in November or December this year.

Nawaz Sharif also directed the federal and provincial governments to cut down on their expenditures.

He also sought a report on PML-N reorganization in the next party meeting.

It was also decided in the meeting to continue holding talks with political leaders including Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mahmood Achakzai.

Besides Nawaz and Shehbaz, others who attended the meeting were CM Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Awais Laghari, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Rana Sanaullah and others.

Later, Federal Minister for Planning and Development and senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday that former prime minister and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif had directed the federal and provincial governments to cut down their expenditures.

Speaking to newsmen after the PML-N leaders’ meeting, he said that Nawaz had also given instructions to take steps to reduce inflation in the country.

He claimed that the government would resolve the issues concerning the country’s power sector in one or two years.

He stressed the need for a robust local bodies’ system in the country.

Calling the former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan a ‘novice’, the minister said the country had to pay a heavy price for that man’s incompetence. “Those who are responsible for the mess the country is in today are now raising hue and cry,” Ahsan said while referring to the PTI.

He claimed that no other political prisoner in the country had ever enjoyed the facilities, which Imran was enjoying in his cell. “He is having a great time there,” he said, adding, “On the contrary, the PML-N leaders, including Nawaz Sharif and me, were without any facility. It is kindness on our part that we are not meting out the treatment, which had been meted out to us under the PTI government.”

The minister opinned the PTI leaders were dying for an ‘NRO’. “However, they will not get it.”

Those, he went on to say, who asked the PML-N leaders to give receipts had now themselves failed to give receipts.

Reporter: Rao Dilshad Hussain