The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has issued directives to the Ministry of Energy, specifically the Petroleum and Power Divisions, to formulate a concrete plan within one month for the establishment of renewable energy plants by public sector oil companies.
This initiative stems from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s inaugural address to the National Assembly, where he emphasized the importance of transitioning towards renewable energy sources.
In correspondence dated March 4, 2024, Syed Shakil Shah, additional secretary-II at the PMO, outlined various action points from the Prime Minister’s speech, now translated into directives for relevant ministries.
Additionally, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been instructed to expedite the clearance of verified pending refund claims within 10 days, aligning with the government’s commitment to streamline fiscal processes.
Moreover, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has been tasked with developing a plan within seven days to train 0.5 million youth in IT and boost IT exports.
Furthermore, the release and rehabilitation of women and children convicted of minor crimes, as well as their provision with technical education, have been swiftly implemented with presidential approval.
In parallel, the Finance Ministry and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) have been given 10 days to devise strategies to enhance SME lending by private and commercial banks.
Other directives include providing high-quality certified seeds and solar tube-wells to farmers within one month, as well as formulating a mechanism for direct fertiliser subsidies to farmers within 30 days.
The PMO has stressed the importance of prompt action, with the Prime Minister slated to review the implementation status of these directives on short notice.
Additionally, all ministry secretaries have been instructed to prepare concise briefings on critical issues within their purview, with a maximum of five slides for each ministry, to be presented to the Prime Minister in due course.
Story by Mushtaq Ghumman
