Each and every looted penny to be recovered from former rulers: Firdous

GUJRANWALA, Apr 21 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Sunday said Prime Minister Imran Khan would recover each and every penny of the national exchequer looted by the former rulers.
The nexus of people having vested interests, who remained at the helm of affairs in the country in the past, ruthlessly misappropriated the public money, she said while addressing a public gathering here.
She said the prime minister was taking bold and courageous decisions in the best interest of the nation. He would not let the country to default as his government was repaying loans of hundreds of billion rupees taken by the previous regimes.
The prime minister, she said, was struggling hard to protect the rights of downtrodden and poor segments of the society. She urged the nation to support his endeavours, which he was making for the progress and prosperity of the country.
Dr Firdous said the prime minister had given the task to his new cabinet members to steer the economy out of crisis. The nation would have to give sacrifices. It was, however, a temporary phase and soon the economy was put on the track.
Dr Firdous said Imran Khan had started the process of change from the province of Punjab. By appointing Usman Buzdar as chief minister of Punjab, he had broken the status quo, who unlike his predecessor Shehbaz Sharif had never been involved in corrupt practices.
Former chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, she said, had constructed overhead bridges and flyovers to facilitate his close aides, while the Gujranwala city needed quality universities and hospitals.
Similarly, the youth working in cotton industry should have been sent abroad for training which was not the priority of the last Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government, she added.
She said unfortunately looters and plunderers had got mandate from Gujranwala.
The SAPM said the Punjab government was launching schemes and projects to provide relief and facilities of life to the people at their doorsteps.
She said the prime minister on Sunday inaugurated the Naya Pakistan Housing Project in Balochistan. The country could not achieve progress and prosperity without development in that province.
Dr Firdous said the prime minister had always preferred national interests. He had no personal interests to gain and that was why he had not included any relative in the federal and provincial cabinets. Those, who kept their personal interest in view, had no place in his team.
Later talking to media, the minister said Maulana Fazlur Rehman was suffering from anxiety. It was the first time that the Maulana was not enjoying any official position and he should better adopt the habit to bear his expenses on his own, she added.
She challenged the Maulana to show his ‘political power’, which he used to demonstrate using the public money. He had damaged the Kashmir cause as he only enjoyed the perks and privileges as the chairman of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Kashmir Affairs instead of raising the voice against Indian brutalities against Kashmiris in held valley at international fora, she added.
Regarding PPP leader Maula Bakhsh Chandio’s statement, Dr Firdous said they were not rejected by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rather they had abandoned it because of its anti-country policies.
“The PPP candidate in my constituency had secured only 2,400 votes, which proves that the public has rejected the party. Instead of criticizing Imran Khan, it is better for its leadership to clear their position regarding the fake accounts of Faluday Wala and others.”
To a question, the SAPM said the government would compensate the media people for all the injustices done to them. The media was an important component and partner of the government and all their issues would be resolved.
She also congratulated those persons who won the tickets for Umra through a lucky draw.