CCI decides to constitute task forces to check population growth

ISLAMABAD: The Council of Common Interest (CCI) on Monday decided to constitute national and provincial task forces to check rapid growth in the country’s population.

The decision came during a meeting of the CCI with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.

The meeting considered the issue of rapid population growth which currently stands at 207.8 million with a growth rate of 2.4% per annum.

The prime minister will head the task force at the national level while respective chief ministers at the provincial levels and the process of establishment of the task forces will be completed in 48 hours, according to a statement issued by the PM Media Office.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Asad Umer, Minister for Law and Justice Dr Muhammad Farogh Naseem, Minister for Privatization Muhammad Mian Soomro, CM Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, CM Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, CM Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Industry Abdul Razzaq Dawood, federal and provincial secretaries and other senior officials.

The task forces, constituted at the national and provincial levels, will consider the recommendations, devised by the task force constituted earlier on the orders of the Supreme Court and will submit a comprehensive Action Plan to the CCI, taking into account the future implementation strategy of the Action Plan, the financial aspects and other issues about garnering support of all segments of society for the success of a comprehensive population control programme.

The meeting also approved, in principle, a proposal to include two R-LNG facilities, namely 1230 MW Haveli Bahadur Shah; and 1223 MW Balloki, owned by National Power Parks Management Company Ltd (NPPMCL) in the active list of privatization programme for early implementation.

The CCI unanimously emphasized upon the need for greater focus towards renewable energy in existing energy mix.

There was a complete consensus among the participants to place greater focus on further improving ease of doing business in the country in order to attract investments and to promote industry for realizing the export potential of the country.