Cabinet approves appointment of new PIA chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved the appointment of new Pakistan International Airline (PIA) chairman, ARY News reported.

The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister (PM) House with PM Imran Khan in the chair to discuss 13-point agenda.

The meeting discussed the overall political and economic situation of the country. Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza briefed the meeting about the arrangements put in place to deal with the coronavirus cases.

The cabinet was also briefed over the price of electricity bills and power supply matters while the meeting once again postponed the matter of bringing chemical from India.

Sources said the cabinet meeting endorsed the decisions taken in the privatization committee meeting.

Meanwhile, all cabinet members were scanned before the meeting and declared clear from coronavirus, said health department.

All secretaries and senior officials also went through the screening process before the start of the cabinet meeting.

The cabinet in its previous meeting had decided in principle for not hiking prices of electricity and gas besides deliberating further steps for reducing inflation.

During the meeting, the premier directed concerned authorities for strict monitoring of commodities’ prices after the issuance of a relief package. It is also directed to devise a strategy for decreasing import levy to lessen prices of pulses, said sources.

“We are well-aware of problems being faced by the nationals and the people will get relief after the government’s decisions. Neither the rates of gas will be increased nor electricity prices and taxes will be hiked,” said PM Khan. The premier directed cabinet members to take further steps on an emergency basis to control inflation.