Prices of all essential food items are low in Pakistan except tea: Fawad Ch

Islamabad: While commenting on inflation, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday claimed that Pakistan are the cheapest among other South Asian countries and only the price of tea is higher in the country.

The minister said while briefing the journalist about the decisions taken in meeting of federal cabinet held in Islamabad with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.

To a questions about inflation, Fawad Chaudhry said that the price index is going down for the straight third week, which shows the inflation is going down. “Pakistan is the cheapest country of the region,” he reiterated.

He said prices of all essential food items are low in Pakistan except tea as compared to other countries of the region.

He said prices of edible items are coming down across the country excluding Sindh. Price of flour are higher in Karachi and Hyderabad. Chaudhry further added that the PPP’s provincial government has utterly failed to control exorbitant prices of milk and sugar across the province, especially in Karachi.

Referring to the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), the information minister said Ministry of Science and Technology is ready to provide Electronic voting machines to the Election Commission of Pakistan. He said all political parties should play their positive role on the issue of electronic voting.

He also said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should issue tenders for the Electronic Voting Machines.

Fawad Chaudhry said that the issue of EVMs was highlighted by former president Asif Ali Zardari during the tenure of the Pakistan People’s Party government in 2012. “Later, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif also demanded for EVMs,” he added. 

Commenting on the ongoing protest of fishermen in Gwadar, the minister said that Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and Minister for Defence Production Zubaida Jalal will visit Gawadar to sort out the issue of fishermen protesting there. The minister said PM Khan has already taken notice of the matter and directed for stern action in this regard.

He said a 700 billion rupee development package has been announced by the federal government for southern Balochistan.