ISLAMABAD – The Council of Common Interest (CCI), which met at the PM Office on Monday with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair, considered the issue of rapid population growth in the country which currently stands at 207.8 million with a growth rate of 2.4% per annum.
It decided to constitute task forces, which will be headed by the prime minister at the national level and by the respective chief ministers at provincial levels.
The process of establishment of task forces will be completed in 48 hours, read a press statement issued from the PM’s Office.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza, Finance Minister Asad Umer, Law Minister Farogh Naseem, Minister for Privatization Mohammad Mian Soomro, CM Punjab Usman Buzdar, CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah, CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, CM Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Industry Abdul Razzaq Dawood, federal and provincial secretaries, and other senior officials.
The task forces will consider the recommendations formulated by the task force constituted earlier on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and will submit a comprehensive action plan to the CCI, taking into account the future implementation strategy of the plan, the financial aspects and other issues about garnering support of all segments of society for the success of a comprehensive population control programme.
The meeting also approved, in principle, a proposal to include two R-LNG facilities, namely 1230 MW Haveli Bahadur Shah and 1223 MW Balloki, owned by National Power Parks Management Company Ltd (NPPMCL) in the active list of privatisation programme for early implementation.
The CCI unanimously emphasised the need for greater focus towards renewable energy in existing energy mix.
There was a complete consensus among the participants to place greater focus on further improving ease of doing business in the country in order to attract investments and to promote industry for realising the export potential of the country.
