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ISLAMABAD, (MANEND NEWS): Prime Minister Imran Khan has categorically stated that no relaxation or
NRO will be given to any mafia or corrupt elements.
Interacting with the public over the telephone on Tuesday, PM Imran Khan however assured that no
injustice will be done with anybody. The Prime Minister 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 30 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.
Imran Khan said the present government believes in the rule of law and it is not interfering in the
matters of judiciary and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The Prime Minister said he has also waged a war against the land grabbers and noose has been
tightened against them. He said 21 thousand acres of land valuing 27 billion rupees has so far been
recovered.
When asked about the price hike, the Prime Minister 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.
The Prime Minister said eleven hundred billion rupees 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.
Discussing the COVID-19 situation, the Prime Minister once again appealed the people to strictly follow
the SOPs to contain the spread of the pandemic. He was confident that Pakistan will come out of the
third wave of COVID-19 if the people observed the SOPs during the Eid holidays. He said we are also
holding discussions for domestic manufacturing of anti Covid vaccine and the nation will soon hear good
news in this regard.
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.
The Prime Minister said border markets are being opened with Iran and Afghanistan saying this will
provide legal trade opportunities to the local population.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said he would change “his team” if his advisors and ministers do not perform
up to the mark.
One of the callers complained about people thronging Eid bazaars because the government had
restricted business hours to stem the spread of the pandemic.
In response, the prime minister acknowledged the move was a quandary as the government wanted to
reduce human interaction by decreasing the hours at which business and markets operated.
However, he realised that because of the move, more people flocked to markets and business centres to
avail the shortened hours.
The caller had also asked the prime minister whether he was satisfied with his team of ministers and
advisors. In response, PM Imran Khan gave the analogy of a cricket team, saying that out of a team of 11
players, not everyone can perform exceedingly well. “Not everyone can be a superstar,” he said, adding
that ministers who do not perform will be excluded from the team. “If the ministers and advisors do not
perform, the team will have to be changed,” he said.
The prime minister said there were “small and influential” dacoits in the country, adding that corruption
by the latter damages an entire country. He cited the example of PML-N President Mian Muhammad
Shahbaz Sharif, saying that he was accused of misappropriating Rs7bn. “This is just one case against him’
there are many others registered against him [Shahbaz Sharif],” he said, adding that it was just the “tip
of the iceberg”.
The prime minister said when General (retd) Musharraf gave an NRO to Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz
Sharif, it caused massive economic repercussions for Pakistan. “I will never given an NRO to any corrupt
person,” he said. “Not because I want to save my government but because I fear Allah. I will have to give
my account in front of him,” he added.
The prime minister said sugar baron Jahangir Khan Tareen was of the view that he had been mistreated.
“I have never been unjust towards even my enemies, the ones against whom I have been struggling for
the past 25 years,” he said. He clarified that though he will not subject anyone to unjust treatment, the
prime minister vowed not to let anyone off the hook who were involved in hoarding sugar prices.
PM Imran Khan said the Sharifs and Zardaris did not pay taxes on sugar neither and hiked prices of sugar
whenever they wanted. “I promise you, no one [who is guilty] will be allowed to go scot-free but also, no
one will be mistreated,” he said, referring to Tareen’s allegations.
Responding to a caller, the prime minister condemned atrocities committed by Israel against unarmed
Palestinians, regretting that violence had taken place on the holy night of Ramadan 27 and at Al-Aqsa
mosque.
PM Imran Khan said he had directed FM Qureshi to speak to the foreign ministers of Turkey and Saudi
Arabia to galvanise support for the Palestinians and speak out against atrocities being committed
against the Palestinians.
“One country cannot do anything alone,” he said. “When a large group of Muslim countries band
together, then it will make a difference and we are trying to do that,” he added.
PM Imran Khan said he had also spoken at length with the Saudi crown prince over rising incidences of
Islamophobia, adding that Pakistan will try to gain collective support from the Muslim countries to battle
this issue as well.
In response to a question as to why there was no rule of law in Pakistan, the prime minister said the
powerful and the weak should both be equal before the law. He said it would take time for change to
take shape in Pakistan, adding that expecting the country to be reformed overnight would only lead to
disappointment. “I can’t turn on a switch and rivers of milk will flow,” he said.
He credited Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) with establishing the State of Madinah
where everyone was equal before the law. The prime minister shared the example of Germany, Japan
and other states who were destroyed after World War II but managed to stand on their own feet within
a span of 10 years. “Countries are destroyed when the heads of governments steal money in the billions
and send them abroad,” he said. He said unfortunately, Pakistan’s democrats had not been honest with
the nation, citing the example of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, alleging that he had had the
Supreme Court attacked with stick-wielding thugs back when he was the country’s prime minister.
PM Imran Khan then spoke against the various cartels and mafias in the country, saying that they were
benefitting from a corrupt system in the country. The prime minister said fighting the status quo and
mafias was the only reason he had become a politician in the first place. “You all [Pakistanis] have to
stand with me in this war,” he said. “And Insha’Allah, I will win this war.”
In response to another caller, the prime minister said it was a fact that most of the Western countries
and their media, used human rights issues to promote their foreign policy objectives rather than provide
justice to victims. Speaking on India’s efforts to counter Chinas a growing military and economic power,
he said it was a futile effort on New Delhi’s part, adding that India will suffer in the process.
One caller complained about the ill-treatment meted out to him by foreign embassies to which the
prime minister spoke about his recent public criticism of embassies. PM Imran Khan praised Pakistan’s
embassies and their staff members, saying that they had rendered great services for Pakistan, especially
when it comes to highlighting the Kashmir issue in front of the entire world.
The premier said he had directed embassies to start online services to overseas Pakistanis can register
their complaints at a portal which will be set up under the supervision of Foreign Minister Shah
Mahmood Qureshi.
He said embassies have been directed to solve two issues relating to overseas Pakistanis; to solve
problems and issues raised by the Pakistani diaspora abroad and to facilitate Pakistanis abroad in
investing into the country.
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.
