Economic team briefs PM Imran on current financial situation

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with his economic team and discussed matters pertaining to the current financial situation in the country.

Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umer, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Adviser to PM on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, PM’s Special Assistant on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and senior officials attended the meeting.

The economic impact in the wake of lockdown due to coronavirus also came under discussion.

Earlier on May 3, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired a meeting of a think tank to review the impact of coronavirus on the economy, businesses and common man in the country.

Speaking during the meeting, Hafeez Shaikh said that they had to learn from international experiments regarding monetary and other policies.

“There should be an economic road map detailing the responsibilities everyone had to perform,” he said.

The think tank also proposed six domains in which work should be carried out to move the economy during the pandemic including construction of small houses, food security sector, supply chain safety and increase in the role of banking sector.

It was also decided to raise the issue of change in rate of sales tax and other financial issues with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).