Sheikh Rasheed demands PM to open marriage halls, marquees

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed demanded Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to open marriage halls and marquees. According to the source, the railways minister raised the matter of hotel and marquees during the federal cabinet under the chair of the prime minister. He said that the closure of hotels was affecting the poor employees working in them. He said that the hotels should be allowed to reopen under the SOPs, stating that they are a source of livelihood for the have-nots who have been suffering due to their closure. The prime minister tasked Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar to make a decision on reopening of marriage halls and marquees. The federal cabinet meeting could not reach a decision on the issue of K-Electric. Minister for Planning Asad Umar and Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haque while opposed raising power tariffs for consumers and said that Karachi is already not getting electricity, raising prices would be inappropriate. The prime minister again summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet on the issue again on Thursday. The ministers who attended the meeting also opposed receiving Rs73 billion from domestic and commercial consumers in the form of imported gas. Asad Umer, Minister for Railway Sheikh Rasheed and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry opposed charging consumers for LNG. The premier issued directives for strict implementation of the government-defined SOPs for cattle markets to curb spread of coronavirus during Eidul Azha. It also deliberated upon the SOPs to mitigate the risk of a possible spike in Covid-19 cases during the upcoming Eid. The federal cabinet expressed satisfaction over a drop in the number of coronavirus cases in the country. He called for citizens to be careful on the occasion of Eidul Azha to avoid virus spread. Lyari gang war leader Uzair Baloch’s JIT also came under discussion during the meeting when Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi gave a briefing to the cabinet in this regard.