Successfully fighting against status quo and corrupt mafia: PM Imran
The prime minister said bringing the powerful under the rule of law is jihad
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday urged the international community to take notice of violence in occupied Kashmir and said that no dialogue is possible with India until New Delhi restores the autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir.
During his interaction with the public via telephone on Tuesday, he said that the nation followed the SOPs during the first and second wave of coronavirus and the third wave of Covid-19 is even more dangerous, adding that strict adherence is required during the Eid holidays.
“People in India are dying on the roads due to lack of oxygen,” he said and added over 220 million people are below the poverty line and the situation in India is in front of everyone.
Imran Khan appealed the nation to wear a mask and follow social distance and said that said that the poor affect the most due to the lockdown.
The prime minister said that he has seen the whole world because of cricket and the rule of law prevails in the West, the rule of law prevailed in human society.
Imran Khan further said that corruption is a problem of every poor country, adding that $1,000 billion is stolen from poor countries and goes abroad. “The bicycles and buffalo thieves does not destroy the country but the country is destroyed when the head of the country and powerful people steal,” he said.
The premier went on to say that bringing the powerful under the rule of law is a great jihad, adding that the government is successfully fighting against the status quo and a mafia and the weak and the powerful are accountable to the same law.
He said that Justice Munir’s one decision has affected the justice system but the struggle for the rule of law will continue.
The PM categorically stated that no relaxation or NRO will be given to any mafia or corrupt elements and assured that no injustice will be done with anybody. I promise that people and entities responsible for the increase in the prices of sugar will not be given any relief. I will never give them an NRO. Most sugar mills don t even pay their taxes. I will not spare those who harmed the country s peoples.
Imran Khan expressed the optimism that his struggle against corrupt mafia and for the establishment of rule of law will succeed, which will turn Pakistan into a great nation. He asked the people to stand by his struggle which is aimed at bringing the powerful under the law.
The prime minister said those who plundered the nation over the last thirty years do not want supremacy of the constitution and law. He said mafias in different sectors including in the sugar do not want the institutions to function.
Responding to a question about the price hike, PM Imran said he has brought Shaukat Tarin as the finance minister with the responsibility to bring down the prices of essential commodities and take the economy towards growth. He said we have kept the petrol prices and diesel lower as we realize that no more burden can be put on the masses. He said prices of electricity has direct impact on the inflation.
He said the previous government of PML-N signed expensive agreements, putting a huge burden of capacity payments. He said these payments were around 180 billion rupees in 2013, which swelled to 484 billion rupees in 2018 and now this amount is standing at 900 billion rupees. He said under the international agreements, government is bound to procure electricity even if it does not require so. He said we convinced the Independent Power Producers and managed to reduce the amount of capacity payment to the tune of 132 billion rupees. Similarly, the Prime Minister said we imported LNG from Qatar on cheaper rates, saving 300 million dollars annually.
On the economic front, the prime minister said the government inherited a difficult economic situation with record deficits. He, however, said the present government has laid the foundation for the prosperity of the country. He said our foreign exchange reserves have reached 15.6 billion dollars. There is growth of seven point five percent in the large scale manufacturing with textile industry operating at its full capacity. He said there has been increase in revenue collection and the exports.
He said Rs 11,00 billion have gone to the farmers this year due to the government s pro agriculture policy. He said the government will soon announce a long-term plan for the agriculture sector. He said we saved both the economy and the people during the difficult times of COVID-19.
Responding to a query of a caller, the Prime Minister categorically stated that Pakistan will not hold talks with India until it rescinds the illegal steps of 5th August 2019. He said international media is now also writing against Hindutva policy of Modi government after the present government raised it effectively at the international level. He voiced his concerns over the maltreatment of Muslims and other minorities in India. He said our foreign office has raised Jammu and Kashmir dispute in an excellent manner.
