KP cabinet to take oath in two days: Yousufzai

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Deputy Parliamentary Leader in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Shaukat Ali Yousufzai on Monday said all matters with coalition parties have been settled and hopefully 14 ministers will take oath in two days.
Talking to reporters, he said the PTI strongly believed in politics based on consensus and all coalition partners have been taken onboard on matters of national and public importance.
He hoped that the ministers would take oath in next two days for which all arrangements have been completed.
He said KP cabinet would comprise of 14 ministers and five advisers.
Separately, the PTI has recommended special tax on foreign goods and Pakistani products, transported to Afghanistan under Pak-Afghan Transit Trade agreement.
Yousufzai said the proposal was put forward in order to boost the income of the provincial government.
Yousufzai said tax would not only improve revenue of the provincial government but also help in curbing smuggling.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce President Yousuf Sarwar has welcomed the proposal and said that this would improve condition of Peshawar-Torkham Road besides economic condition of the province.
Separately, KP Finance Minister Sirajul Haq said the KP government would present a tax-free budget.
Addressing a press conference, Haq said that the provincial ministers would not live like Mughal emperors and princes, but they would lead a simple life.
“The air conditioner of my office will not be switched on until load shedding is abolished from every home of the province,” he added.
The minister said that the Council of Common Interests was formed by bureaucrats so Nawaz Sharif could not be blamed for it, however, he said that the present government would rectify it.
He said that a proposal has been presented for reduction of budget of KP as compared to previous year on which KP government has requested federation, the federal government and the prime minister for review. Last year Rs 93.2 billion were earmarked for the province and this year instead of increasing the amount, it has been reduced to Rs 84.42 billion.
He said that during last government funds were earmarked for 14 mega projects, but only Rs 850 million were issued for one project alone, adding that no funds were released for projects like Lawari Top Tunnel, Ghushal Garh Bridge and Northern Bypass.