The Finance Minister informed the Senate that Pakistan will start using the Saudi oil facility on deferred payment from next month.
Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin told the house on Friday during question hour.
Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin said that:
“The government has tried not to pass on to the people the full burden of international increase in petroleum products. The government has reduced the sales tax and Petroleum Development Levy on petroleum products to provide relief to the masses.”
Moreover, The Finance Minister said that:
“The foreign exchange reserves of State Bank of Pakistan have increased over the last one year which will help reduce pressure on the rupee. Pakistan received 3 billion dollars from Saudi Arabia in the month of December 2021 for a period of one year at a 4% interest rate.”
He also said that:
“The country’s exports and remittances are increasing whilst the trade deficit reduced by 1.5 billion dollars last month.”
Responding to a supplementary question, the Finance Minister further said:
“Pakistan has met 27 out of 28 conditions of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Pakistan has also fulfilled its targets.”
Moreover, Finance Minister hopes that the country will come out of the grey list in the next review meeting of the FATF.
Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz also addressed the senate today.
Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz said that:
“Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have started important projects for the provision of clean drinking water. He said Capital Development Authority and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources have collectively started a project for recharging groundwater level.”
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan further informed the senate that:
“Several projects worth billions of rupees have been launched for the development of Balochistan and Gwadar.”
Later, Leader of the House in the Senate, Shahzad Waseem took the floor, saying:
“We regret the silence of international human rights over the rising religious hatred and extremism in India.
Referring to the harassment of a Muslim Student in hijab in Karnataka, India, Shahzad Waseem said:
“The worst form of Islamophobia is being seen in India which poses threat to peace and stability.”
