Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the Ministry of Oil and Gas to ensure provision of uninterrupted gas supply to domestic consumers.

He issued the directives while presiding over the Federal Cabinet meeting in Islamabad. 

Later, briefing the news men, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the Cabinet also issued directives to take concrete steps for ensuring food security in the country and bringing to book the hoarders and profiteering cartels.

She said the Cabinet requested the superior judiciary to decide cases regarding food security on priority basis as they are related to public interest.

She said the Federal Cabinet constituted a committee, headed by Dr Ishrat Hussain, to amend food security laws in the country, which will present its report in one month time.

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the Cabinet was further informed that a subsidy of 242 billion rupees was given to protect consumers using upto 300 electricity units from fuel adjustment affects.

She said the industrial sector was also given 29 billion rupees subsidy whereas 100 billion rupees subsidy was given to agriculture sector.

Similarly, 10 billion rupees subsidy was given to fertilizer industry to ensure stability in the prices of fertilizers. 

The Cabinet also asked the Water and Power Division to take steps for redressing consumers’ reservations about tampering of meters by DISCOs employees which results in additional burden on consumers.

She said the Federal Cabinet strongly condemned Indian Lok Sabha for passing the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 to offer citizenship to the people belonging to different religions living in different countries.

Kiani/NNR/Abdul Rehman/Khokhar