Federal cabinet on Tuesday approved construction of 1,35,000 apartments across the country. These apartments would be constructed under Naya Pakistan Housing Authority- a new department that would be dealing with incumbent governments housing projects.
Briefing media about the decisions taken by cabinet, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain 25,000 apartments will be built in Islamabad for federal government employees and Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the scheme on 17th of this month.
He said 110,000 apartments will be constructed in Balochistan for fishermen of Gwadar. Hussain said the Prime Minister also directed crackdown against those involved in theft of electricity and gas. He said pilferage of electricity worth forty billion rupees has been prevented due to effective measures.
Minister said gas worth three billion rupees was stolen in last three years. He said 43 percent gas is being stolen. He said 93 percent of gas in Karak district and 48 percent in Balochistan went unaccounted for.
Minister claimed PML-N leader Sheikh Rohail Asghar’s gas bill has gone up from mere 1,200 rupees to over ten million rupees, which shows massive theft of the commodity. The Minister said that a train station is being established at Nankana Sahib after the name of Baba Guru Nanak.
He said the cabinet approved to direct all the government departments to use Pakistan Post for official communication. Hussain said that a grant of 94 million Euros from Germany was also approved to be utilized for the provision of clean drinking water to the residents of Faisalabad.
He said the cabinet also nodded establishment of Media University with its headquarters in Islamabad. He said the media university will be established after merging three academies namely PTV Academy, Information Academy, and Pakistan Broadcasting Academy. Hussain told the media that Finance Minister Asad Umar is visiting Washington to discuss an agreement with the IMF, which is likely to be signed soon.
He said Asset Declaration Scheme will be launched after discussing it with Asad Umar upon his return from Washington. He said the meeting also approved reconstitution of Evacuee Trust Board.
Information Minister said the approval was granted to one year license for a private airline MS Air Eagle. He said it was approved that now Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal will provide financial assistance for treatment of fatal diseases, which include liver and kidney problems.
The Information Minister said the government is closely monitoring the way pattern of Hudabiya Paper Mills case being used as a model for money laundering through front men. He said millions of rupees were laundered abroad and then re-routed to Pakistan through fake bank accounts.
He said PTI’s stance is very clear regarding corruption and accountability as no one will be given clemency, who has looted the wealth of Pakistan. (Courtesy Radio Pakistan)
