PM Shehbaz orders immediate dissolution of PWD

ISLAMABAD:  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the immediate dissolution of the Public Works Department (PWD) as part of the government plan to do away with loss-making state departments and enterprises under the privatisation policy.

The PWD has 7,000 employees, whose fate hangs in the balance after the prime minister orders its dissolution.

In an interview with Daily Jang, the prime minister emphasised that the interests of PWD employees would be protected, stating that the government cannot afford to sustain departments and institutions that drain the exchequer.

Prime Minister Sharif assured that relevant federal and provincial institutions will complete ongoing projects carried by the PWD.

He mentioned that services of private companies of international standards will be utilised for future government construction and repair work.

He said that the PWD as a department failed to achieve its core objectives and alternate mechanisms would be put in place for the development projects which the PWD carried out.

According to some reports, the government is also working on closing down other government departments including the National Engi­neering Services of Pakistan, the National Construction, and the National Accountability Bureau to reduce the expenditures.

Read more: PWD dissolution: no new projects will be assigned to the department

Discussing the national budget, Prime Minister Sharif highlighted the challenges of balancing the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with public expectations.

He noted that while the IMF had pressured taxes on agriculture and fertilisers, continuous negotiations prevented additional tax burdens on the public.

He said that the economy was stabilising with friendly countries showing investment interest. He predicted that inflation would decrease further in the coming days due to the prudent measures taken by the government.

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