Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s agricultural sector by announcing that no new taxes would be imposed on fertilisers or agricultural pesticides in the upcoming fiscal year.
Chairing a high-level meeting on agricultural reforms, the premier said the government aimed to keep input costs manageable for farmers and would gradually reduce taxes on agricultural machinery and tools. He also instructed the relevant departments to accelerate work on expanding storage capacity for agricultural produce.
The prime minister welcomed the financial contributions being made by provincial governments toward new agricultural initiatives and expressed optimism about their potential to drive growth in the sector. He highlighted that Pakistani agriculture students and researchers currently studying in China on scholarships are expected to return as entrepreneurs, contributing to innovation and sectoral development.
Officials briefed the prime minister on the National Agriculture Innovation and Growth Action Plan, which seeks to raise farmer incomes, boost crop yields, and implement systemic reforms. Under the Ignite project, a total of 129 agriculture-related startups have been launched to promote entrepreneurship and technology adoption in the sector.
In a separate meeting on energy reforms, PM Shehbaz reviewed progress on the ongoing privatisation of loss-making power generation companies (GENCOs). He ordered the swift completion of the second and third phases of the process and instructed that auctions be conducted transparently and broadcast live, following the model used for other state-owned entities.
He also called for an early update on the installation of smart electricity meters and urged authorities to expedite the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. An online portal launched for EV station applications has so far received 120 requests, with 48 already granted interim registration.
Several cabinet members and MNAs also met with the prime minister at Parliament House to discuss development needs and ongoing projects in their respective constituencies.
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