Connect with us

News

Pakistani gov’t introduces austerity measures to fulfill IMF demands

FI

Published

on

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) — The Pakistani government had introduced a list of austerity measures to cut the official expenditures in an attempt to fulfill demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a financial package, said the prime minister’s office.

According to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office on Wednesday night, the federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had unanimously passed the proposal to start the austerity drive to save 200 billion rupees (around 766 million U.S. dollars) annually.

The statement added that the current expenditures of ministries, departments and sub-departments would be reduced by 15 percent and all necessary changes will be made immediately to their budgets to achieve the target.

Earlier in the evening, the prime minister also told media persons that the cabinet members would not take their salaries and other benefits as well as they would travel in economy class and will stay in non-luxurious hotels during their foreign trips.

To cut traveling expenses, the government decided to conduct virtual meetings and buy only non-luxurious cars till June 2024.

Earlier on Monday, the lower house of the country’s parliament also passed a supplementary budget to impose 170 billion rupees in additional taxes, one of the conditions from the IMF to get the financial package, including the first tranche of 1.1 billion U.S. dollars. (1 Pakistani rupee equals 0.0038 USD)

Source(s): Xinhua

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

News

Maldivian FM meets Qatari PM; both commit to stronger ties

FI

Published

on

By

Maldives and Qatar reaffirm the commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two countries on Sunday, in a meeting between Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar.

Zameer, who is on an official visit to Qatar, met with Al Thani on Sunday morning.

At the meeting, Zameer reflected on the growing Maldives-Qatar partnership, and thanked Qatar for the generous assistance in Maldives’ socio-economic development.

According to a statement released by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, both Zameer and Al Thani reiterated the commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Zameer also conveyed appreciation for Qatar’s role in the mediation process on the Gaza crisis.

Both reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the partnership in the multilateral fora on matters of global concern.

Zameer was accompanied at the meeting by Secretary, Bilateral, Dr. Hala Hameed, Ambassador-at-Large, Dr. Fazeel Najeeb, and Assistant Director, Lamha Saleem.

This year will mark the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations between the Maldives and Qatar.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Zameer is also scheduled to meet with other senior officials from the Qatari government to explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in various sectors between the two countries.

Zameer’s latest trip comes at the heels of a similar visit to India last week.

Source(s): sun.mv

Continue Reading

News

President recognises forefront services of nurses

FI

Published

on

By

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has praised the dedicated efforts of nurses, stating that they fulfil a national obligation by providing forefront services. He made the remarks on a social media post, commemorating International Nurses Day.

In the post shared on social media, President Dr. Muizzu recognised the unwavering commitment of nurses, characterising their contributions and services as a valuable, significant responsibility for humanity. The president additionally commended the dedication of nurses for ensuring the provision of cutting edge care.

The International Nurses Day is annually celebrated on May 12, aiming to acknowledge the pivotal role nurses play, as they are the backbone of the healthcare system. The theme for International Nurses Day 2024 is “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care.” The purpose of selecting the theme was to emphasise the significance of reshaping perceptions of the economic and societal advantages of the nursing field, such that nursing can be seen as an investment rather than a cost.

Source(s): PsmNews

Continue Reading

News

Government launches Hope Island for crime-exposed kids

FI

Published

on

By

The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has announced the launch of Hope Island, a rehabilitation initiative aimed at children exposed to crime.

Speaking at a collaborative press briefing involving agencies under the homeland ministry, Minister Ali Ihusaan outlined the planning efforts for Hope Island. He emphasised the provision of fundamental education and religious guidance for the children residing there. He also highlighted the implementation of psychosocial intervention and sports programmes on the island.

Additionally, Minister Ihusaan disclosed that children would reside on Hope Island until they turn 18 years, and serve a designated term in either the Maldives Police Service (MPS) or the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Subsequently, he said that they would be granted opportunities to pursue their chosen careers.

Furthermore, Minister Ihusaan announced a reduction in the age of criminal responsibility to 15 years, with previous advocacy for lowering it to 12 years. He cited instances of 12-year-olds engaging in criminal activities and revealed ongoing legal initiatives, in collaboration with the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), to effect the change.

Moreover, Minister Ihusaan revealed plans to direct 12-year-old offenders to Hope Island for rehabilitation, with a dedicated facility established to mitigate exposure to criminal influences. He also disclosed intentions to develop a separate island specifically for this rehabilitation facility.

Source(s): PsmNews

Continue Reading

Trending