PM Shehbaz orders coal import from Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD -- In a bid to produce cheap electricity to provide relief to domestic consumers and industries, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the authorities concerned to import coal from Afghanistan.

Presiding over a meeting, the prime minister approved the import of high-quality coal from Afghanistan in rupees instead of dollars to save the country's precious foreign exchange.

'This will not only generate cheap electricity but also help save the country's precious foreign exchange,' he was quoted by the Prime Minister Office as saying.

The prime minister ordered improvement in the transportation of coal to be imported from Afghanistan. He also directed the Ministry of Railways to take all necessary steps to ensure prompt delivery of the imported coal to power plants.

PM Sharif also issued the directive for forming a committee of officials concerned headed by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to expedite the import process of coal.

During the meeting, the prime minister was informed that the import of coal initially required for Sahiwal...