‘Govt to decide about electricity prices after auditor general's report’

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said the decision to raise electricity price was delayed till a report from the auditor general was received.

“After the report by auditor general it would be decided what to do with the electricity prices”, he said at a press conference. He was flanked alongside the Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar.

Mr. Chaudhry said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had kept the present price of electricity and postponed the decision to raise it, while allowing export of surplus sugar.

He said a high level Saudi delegation was on a visit to Pakistan and taking important investment decisions.

After completion of the visit of the Saudi delegation, Finance Minister Asad Umar would tell about the decision regarding the investment in Pakistan. Another delegation from Saudi Arabia would also visit Pakistan during the current month, he added.

To a question regarding the auction of Ishaq Dar’s property, Fawad Hussain said the government would move ahead to recover the looted money. The decision of the court was a positive development as the property was made with the public money.

He said that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) would launch a massive campaign against the non-filers of income tax returns. The people living life of luxury should pay their taxes. He said the wealth declared under the amnesty scheme had legal cover.

He said the government wanted to give maximum relief to the poor and would get taxes from the rich.

The minister said the statement attributed to Rana Mashhood of PML-N in media about change in government was merely a speculation, Rana Mashhood should instead comment on other petty issues, he added.