ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the Ministry of Finance to begin talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a possible one-month waiver or relief in electricity bills for households affected by recent floods.
Officials confirmed the relief plan will not be limited to villages but will also cover flood-affected cities across the country. The Prime Minister stressed that urgent support must be extended to families who have lost homes, livelihoods, and access to basic services.
The Finance Ministry has been directed to expedite discussions with the IMF to explore options, including subsidies and tax waivers. Proposals under review include scrapping GST, FC surcharge, fixed charges, excise duty on fuel price adjustments, income tax, and retailer sales tax from electricity bills.
Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said the government is working to remove these charges for flood-hit households, while provincial governments will waive land revenue taxes. He added that any extra charges mistakenly included in bills would be corrected.
In addition, the government plans to announce a farmers’ relief package to compensate for losses to crops and livestock once surveys of the affected regions are complete.
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