Federal Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister in Islamabad on Tuesday, approved gas load management plan for the winter season in order to better deal with the gas shortage.

Briefing media persons about the cabinet decisions, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain said under the gas load management plan, gas supply to the CNG sector will remain suspended from Dec 1 till February 15, 2022.

He, however, said gas supply will be fully provided to the Independent Power Producers, fertilizer companies and export oriented industries. 

He said five percent additional gas will be provided to the power plants being operated on the LNG.

The Minister said the gas saved from the CNG, cement and Captive Power Plants will be provided to the domestic consumers.

Fawad Chaudhary said the use of electricity is also being encouraged in the winter season and its tariff has been reduced for domestic consumers in order to entice them to shift their appliances such geysers and heaters to electricity.

The Information Minister warned that our gas reserves are fast depleting and we have to evolve an alternative strategy to deal with the situation.

Minister for Planning and Development, Asad Umar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services, Dr Faisal Sultan gave a detailed briefing to the cabinet about the new variant of Covid-19 Omicron.

The cabinet asked the provincial governments and the public to get the vaccination process completed to better deal with the new variant.

Chaudhry Fawad said the Cabinet also discussed matters pertaining to the use of Electronic Voting Machines.

He said given the amendment in the law, it is imperative to use the EVMs in the future by-elections.

The Cabinet meeting voiced its concerns over the recently appeared video showing purchase of votes in Lahore.

The Information Minister said the Election Commission of Pakistan should take this matter as well as the matter of rigging in Senate elections to the logical conclusion.

The Minister said all formalities regarding Saudi Arabia's three billion dollars safe deposits in State Bank of Pakistan and 1.2 billion dollars of oil facility have been completed.

He said the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation will also provide 762 million dollars to Pakistan which will help stabilize rupee in the market.

The Federal Cabinet meeting also reviewed the prices of essential commodities and it was informed that the weekly price index has decreased by 0.67 percent.

The Information Minister said Pakistan will provide fifty thousand metric tons of wheat to Afghanistan on humanitarian basis.

During the cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister directed the FIA to nab the elements involved in human trafficking.

The Cabinet also accorded approval to hold a special meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers in Pakistan.

The Cabinet tasked Advisor to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam with preparation of a long term plan to tackle the issue of smog.