As promised, Imran Khan govt sells 70 luxury cars including Mercedes, BMW
ISLAMABAD SEP 17 :The cash-strapped Pakistan government on Monday sold 70 cars “above their market price” as it started the process of auctioning of 102 luxury vehicles of the PM House under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s austerity drive, a media report said.
Apart from luxury cars, the government, facing huge debts and liabilities, plans to auction eight buffaloes kept by deposed and jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the PM House for his “gastronomic requirements”, a senior aide to Khan said last week.
It will also sell the four surplus helicopters lying unused with the Cabinet Division, Naeem-ul-Haq, the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Political Affairs, said.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, information minister Fawad Chaudhry said the first batch of 70 vehicles have been sold.
“These cars were sold above their market price,” Chaudhry claimed.
He added that vehicles which are classified as protected (bomb and bullet-proof) would be sold next.
The cars that are being auctioned include four recent models of Mercedes Benz, eight bullet-proof BMWs, three 5000cc SUVs and two 3000cc SUVs of 2016 model.
Twenty-four 24 Mercedes Benz of 2016 model are also being auctioned. Two of the 28 cars are 4,000cc bullet-proof vehicles, the report said.
Further, 40 Toyota cars, a Lexus SUV, and two Land Cruisers are also up for auction.
Other vehicles that are being auctioned include eight Suzuki cars, five Mitsubishi vehicles, nine Hondas and two jeeps.
The cars will be sold to those who have the highest bid, the report said.
In his first address to the nation, Prime Minister Khan had emphasised on cutting government expenditure. As part of the cost-cutting initiative, he had announced the auction of surplus PM House vehicles.
Pakistan’s debt and liabilities rose sharply to nearly Rs 30 trillion or 87% of total size of the economy at the end of previous fiscal year, according to media reports.
Statistics released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) last month showed that in the last five years, Pakistan’s total debt and liabilities increased Rs 13.5 trillion or 82.8% to stand at Rs 29.9 trillion. Five years ago, Pakistan’s total debt and liabilities were Rs 16.4 trillion, the Express Tribune reported.
Courtesy : hindustantimes.com
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Rains lash several parts of Tamil Nadu, cyclonic storm brewing
Chennai (PTI): Rains lashed several parts of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, and the India Meteorological Department said the depression over Bay of Bengal has formed into a deep depression and it is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm on November 27.
Chief Minister M K Stalin chaired a high-level meeting here at the Secretariat to review the precautionary measures and rushed NDRF and State teams to Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagappatinam and Cuddalore districts.
Chennai and nearby districts of Chengelpet, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur, the northern coastal city of Cuddalore and Cauvery delta areas, including Nagapattinam were among the places that received rainfall, which was mild to moderate in many areas and heavy in a few places.
Due to the rains, heavy traffic congestion was witnessed here in many areas including the arterial OMR Road and traffic flow was affected in several areas as roads came under sheets of water. Also, in Chennai, there was delay in the landing of 7 flights.
State-run Aavin said it has taken all steps to ensure unhindered milk supply to the people and announced that eight of its parlours here will be open 24 x 7.
Stalin, through video conferencing, reviewed the action plan to tackle the situation. Very heavy rainfall forecast covers the districts of Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Cuddalore. District collectors and IAS officials, tasked with monitoring and coordinating rain-related tasks took part in the meeting.
Collectors apprised the chief minister that adequate number of relief camps and medical teams were on standby and all other necessary arrangements were in place too. Stalin told officials that relief centres must be 'ready with all the amenities' and people should be evacuated in advance from low lying areas.
An official release here said that two NDRF teams have been dispatched to Thanjavur district. For each of the districts of Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagappatinam and Cuddalore, two teams ---one from NDRF and the other from the State-- have been dispatched.
Also in such districts, first-responders and volunteers are also ready for deployment. "Already, fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea and a majority of boats have returned to shore."
As regards fishermen who have gone for deep sea fishing, they have been informed to move to the nearest harbours.
The state and district level emergency operation centres are functioning 24 x 7.
Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, KKSSR Ramachandran, Chief Secretary N Muruganandam and top state officials participated in the meeting chaired by the chief minister.
According to the IMD, the depression over Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression and it is about 770 km south-southeast of Chennai and 570 km south-southeast of Nagapattinam.
In its update, the IMD said on 'X': "It is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm on 27th November. Thereafter, it will continue to move north-northwestwards towards Tamil Nadu coast skirting Sri Lanka coast during subsequent 2 days."
