ISLAMABAD, Dec 30 (APP): Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid Wednesday said the PML-N government firmly believed in transparency and good governance, so it did not feel shy of any scrutiny to judge its performance.
Addressing the inaugural session of the seminar on “Transparency in Public Sector: An Appraisal” organized by Ministry of IB&NH here the minister said transparency, undoubtedly is an essential ingredient of good governance whose importance could hardly be over-emphasized.
He said that the hallmark of the efforts of the government in reviving the economy had of course been transparency. The fact that no mega-corruption scandal, unlike the past, had been reported and unearthed either by the vigilant media or the transparency monitoring agencies, was a proof of commitment of the PML(N) government to do things in right
direction and in transparent manner.
The minister said that holding of the seminar on this issue by the government, in itself was a testimony to this fact.
He said that the purpose of convening the seminar was to conduct an appraisal of transparency in public sector with regards to development efforts of the government during the last two and a half years.
He hoped the seminar would prove to be quite informative for the guests and particularly those from the diplomatic community.
The minister said the seminar would also help in disseminating authentic information to the public in regards to the performance of the government and its unwavering commitment and adherence to transparency.
Besides, he added, it would afford an opportunity to the government to further strengthen the process of transparency in light of the observations of the appraisers, by removing infirmities pointed out by them.
When the PML (N) formed government consequent upon winning the franchise of the people, he said the country was confronted with formidable challenges.
The minister said that undaunted by the permeating situation, the PML(N) government under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif took these challenges head on with determination and dedication. The
minister said it launched necessity-driven policy initiatives in line with the election manifesto of the party in all these areas.
As a result of the measures and initiatives taken by the government during the last two years the ambience of gloom has been transformed into vibrant optimism and a real, verifiable and discernible change is evident in all the spheres of the national life.
The economy was on the upward curve signifying the commencement of an era of sustained economic growth, he said adding that the foreign exchange reserves had increased, inflation had been brought down to
single digit to a level of a ten-year low.
He said energy shortages had been overcome to a large extent and the load-shedding had been reduced to a bare minimum.
The enhancement of economic relations with China under the umbrella of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was another testimonial of the success of the new vision.
He said today the PML (N) government could also rightly boast of orchestrating unity among all the political parties and other stakeholders with respect to attaining lasting peace and stability in the country as well as in the region.
Now after two and half years, he said, the PML (N) government could look back with satisfaction in regards to its performance in all the areas that posed threatening challenges to the country, including economy, when the government was installed.
Earlier Secretary IB&NH Saba Mohsin Raza in her speech highlighting the objectives of the seminar said independent experts and analysts at the seminar would review the performance and transparency of the present government.
She said that the government was striving to ensure transparency in the public sector projects but the same was not fully reflected in the media.