Islamabad, January 21, 2022 (PPI-OT):Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said the government has given new direction to the country’s foreign policy from geo-politics to geo-economics for welfare of the people. Speaking in the National Assembly today [Friday], he said the country’s economy is now touching 5.37 per cent growth rate regardless of the contraction caused by Covid-19 to the international economies. He said, according to a survey of World Bank, our agriculture sector is growing by 3.3 percent. The Foreign Minister said that country’s exports and remittances are reaching record levels while per capita income is also increasing.
He said regardless of gas shortage, the Urea production has witnessed an increase, and the government is providing urea to the farmers at much lower rates than the international market. He said action will be taken against those hoarding the commodity. Shah Mahmood Qureshi admitted that inflation poses a major challenge. He, however said there are several international factors behind it including that of increase in the price of gas and petroleum products in global markets.
Responding to a calling attention notice in the National Assembly today, Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar categorically stated that gas theft will not be tolerated in any part of the country. He expressed satisfaction that Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited has significantly reduced its system losses from 12.5 percent to 8.5 per cent over the last three years.
He said there is a need to bring further improvement in Sui Southern Gas Company Limited. He pointed out that the country’s gas reserves are depleting at the rate of nine percent annually. Minister for Energy introduced before the House the Private Power and Infrastructure Board Amendment Bill, 2022. The House has now been prorogued.
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