• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a seven-member committee
• The committee will ensure implementation of the austerity drive
• The prime minister said the austerity policy would be enforced strictly

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a seven-member committee of ministers to ensure the implementation of the austerity drive.

A notification regarding constitution of a monitoring committee to oversee the implementation of the austerity measures has been issued.

The committee included Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar, Minister for Education Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Information and Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin-ul-Haque, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarrar, Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema, PM’s advisor on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira, and Minister of State for Power Division Hashim Notezai.

The committee would review the implementation of the decisions taken during the federal cabinet meeting on February 22. The principal accounting officer of each ministry, division and department would submit recommendations before the committee by February 27 regarding the implementation of these decisions.

Earlier, the prime minister said that the austerity policy would be enforced strictly and no would be tolerated. Chairing a meeting to review the implementation of the policy, the prime minister said the decisions made to promote austerity and simplicity would have a far-reaching impact.

He directed the formation of a monitoring committee to oversee the implementation of the decisions. The committee would meet at least fortnightly and would comprise representation from all the allied parties.

The prime minister said the austerity measures would help save national resources; however, effective outcomes depended on the full enforcement of the policy.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had unveiled a massive austerity drive at the federal government level to slash expenditures while eyeing an ambitious plan to save Rs200 billion annually.

The prime minister said that the federal cabinet members decided voluntarily that all the ministers, advisers and special assistants would not draw salaries and other privileges.

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