Pakistan to have brightest future in region: PM

ISLAMABAD, May 3 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said that Pakistan would emerge as a country with the brightest future in the region.

Talking to senior newsmen here at the PM Office, he hoped that the country would progress as its cooperation with China was remarkably increasing and measures were also being taken to reduce the current account deficit.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Law Barrister Firough Nasim, Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, SAPMs Naeemul Haq and Yousuf Baig Mirza and Advisor to PM Muhammad Shahzad Arbab were also present.

During the interaction, mainly meant to brief media on landmark bills of public interest introduced by the government in National Assembly, the prime minister said besides cooperating in all other fields, China would also introduce agriculture technology in Pakistan that would enhance country’s agriculture produce three-folds.

He said the country would have to go through the existing tough economic conditions for six months to a year but the things would improve once the current account deficit was reduced.

He hoped that the terms and conditions of the International Monetary Fund would not be tough ones as the IMF was also foreseeing the positive future perspectives of national economy.

To a question, the prime minister asked why the opposition parties criticized him despite the fact that none of the corruption cases faced by their leaders were filed by him.

He said the government never intervened in the courts or National Accountability Bureau’s affairs despite having some reservations and facing high hopes from the people.

About the induction of non-elected people in the cabinet, the prime minister said the government had to select the best available people in the country as the best talent had already left the country.

He said anyone failing to deliver would be removed from the slot and that he had tried to find out the persons with expertise in the relevant sector before induction in the cabinet.

He said after five years, the people would question the government’s performance and they would have no concern whether those who delivered were elected or non-elected persons.

To a question, he said Asad Umar was a very valuable person and would be back in the cabinet.

Asked to comment on DG ISPR’s remarks against the leadership of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) he said he had received intelligence reports indicating the foreign funding to four to five people in the group.

He said due to terrorism, the area had faced worst conditions. He said he had been persuading the provinces to contribute three percent of their National Finance Commission share for uplift of tribal areas to avert any bad repercussions.

He said under democracy, various opinions were converged to build a consensus but contrarily, the kleptocracy was meant to serve individuals’ interests.

He said the opposition parties were using the parliament to pressure the PTI and National Accountability Bureau.

He said on the very first day of his government, he had agreed to probe the alleged rigging in the polls but even then the opposition launched an agitation.

He said the PTI had knocked at the relevant forums for a year before launching the public demonstration.

“What are they protesting for ?” he questioned and cited the examples from western democracies where no parliamentarian could even think of retaining his office if charged of any corruption.
He said democracy could only succeed amid meritocracy and accountability.

He said the then government had spent Rs 2 billion on Swiss case but later, Asif Ali Zardari was given NRO.

He said after facing allegations by the political adversaries, he had produced even the 34 years old record of his property despite having no public office in the past.