ISLAMABAD, NOV 19 (DNA) -The meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) held on Monday with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair, considered the issue of rapid population growth of the country which currently stands at 207.8 million with a growth rate of 2.4% per annum.

It was decided to constitute National and Provincial Task Forces, to be headed by the Prime Minister at the national level and by the respective Chief Ministers at the provincial levels. The process of establishment of Task Forces will be completed in 48 hours.

The Task Forces constituted at the national and provincial levels will consider the recommendations made by the Task Force constituted earlier on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and will submit a comprehensive Action Plan to the CCI, taking into account the future implementation strategy of the Action Plan, the financial aspects and other issues relating garnering support of all segments of society for the success of a comprehensive population control program.

The meeting also approved, in principle, a proposal to include two R-LNG facilities namely i) 1230 MW Haveli Bahadur Shah; and (ii) 1223 MW Balloki owned by National Power Parks Management Company Ltd (NPPMCL) in the active list of the privatization program for early implementation.

The CCI unanimously emphasized upon the need for greater focus towards renewable energy in existing energy mix.

There was a complete consensus among the participants to place greater focus on further improving ease of doing business in the country in order to attract investments and to promote industry for realizing the export potential of the country.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs Mr. Asad Umer, Minister for Law and Justice Dr. Muhammad Farogh Naseem, Minister for Privatization Mr. Muhammad Mian Soomro, CM Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, CM Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mr. Mahmood Khan, CM Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Industry Mr. Abdul Razzaq Dawood, federal and provincial secretaries and other senior officials.=DNA