ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Monday said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leadership did not announce to part their ways with the government rather distance from the cabinet.
They were part of the government and would remain in the future too, she said, adding the MQM, being an ally of the government, had given some proposals to the cabinet and also expressed their concerns over some issues of public interest.
Talking to the media here outside the Parliament House, she said Prime Minister Imran Khan had already given a package of Rs 162 billion for Karachi and now was the time for its implementation and then transferring its benefits to the grassroots level.
She said the MQM leaders had presented all their concerns to the committee led by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, which he would take up with the prime minister.
Firdous said the MQM and the government committee discussed matters of public importance in light with the aspirations of people and the prime minister’s priorities.
Those, who had started early celebrations, got disappointed with the MQM’s return to the cabinet, the SAPM added.
About Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Rana Sanaullah, she said he was granted bail by the honourable court, however, he had yet to face the trial in the narcotics case.
The sick leadership of PML-N, she said, was staying at home instead of being hospitalised and meeting with Hamid Karzai, and sometime found at a five star hotel having dinner with the family.
“The nation is worried about the health of Mian Nawaz Sharif”, but the PML-N leadership were enjoying foreign stay while leaving the poor party workers alone, she added.
About the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision in Pervez Musharraf case, the SAPM said former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry constituted the special court on a request of then prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, which he had forwarded to the Supreme Court without consulting his cabinet.
The LHC verdict would bring stability and all the institutions would work in harmony for the country’s development, she added.
Dr Firdous appreciated the media’s positive role on the matters of national importance, saying the government was trying to maintain peace in the region.
She said electricity consumers would soon be given relief in their bills as the cabinet was going to address the issue in its upcoming meeting.
She said consensus among the political parties was necessary to make the Election Commission of Pakistan more autonomous as the government intended to make it more transparent and independent.
The SAPM said the government would soon disclose the names of those who had been drawing stipends from the Benazir Income Support Programme.
