PM Shehbaz decides to abolish five ministries

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif decided to abolish five federal ministries and sought a plan from the relevant ministries within a week, ARY News reported citing sources.

The ministries that are likely to be abolished included Information Technology, Kashmir Affairs, Science and Technology, Industry and Production, and Health Services, the sources privy to the development said.

They added that the relevant ministries started working on providing recommendations as directed by PM Shehbaz to abolish the same.

The sources added that the decision to abolish the ministries was taken in line with the demands made by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who had been advocating for the abolition of certain federal ministries.

The sources said that the prime minister also sought the roles of the ministries that have been transferred to the provinces.

Earlier, PM Shehbaz vowed to abolish all government departments and ministries incurring billions in losses to Pakistan and the exchequer, claiming that the move will save billions of rupees for the country.

In his maiden address to nation after assuming PM’s Office, he noted that all such ministries and government departments which, instead of serving had become a burden on the country and its people, would be shut down.

He maintained that it was the government’s top priority to reduce lavish expenses and close departments and ministries not related to public service such as the Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD), saying it was among those institutions that were infamous for corruption.

PM Shehbaz said that a ministerial committee was constituted to deliberate on the issue of redundant ministries and departments, believing “this is a step that will save billions.”

Moreover, the prime minister said that the government had decided that all those organisations and institutions which were causing billions in losses would be privatised.