-Says targeting State institutions not flag-bearers of democracy
-President terms PDM’s demand of resignation as unjustified
-Info Minister announces dialogue with serious leadership of Opposition
By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said politicians pointing fingers at the state institutions could never be considered as flag-bearers of democracy.
Talking to his Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan, the Prime Minister said all pillars of state, within their own jurisdiction, were working for development of the country, PM office said.
The Prime Minister said strengthening of state institutions was vital for continuity of democracy.
Dr Babar Awan said politicians, who were striving to push the country into age of darkness for personal interests, had no future of their own. He termed the government’s policies of economic stability and prevention of coronavirus as important achievements. The meeting discussed constitutional, legal and political issues.
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said that the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) demand of resignation from the government is unjustified.
He expressed these views in a meeting with senior journalists in Islamabad on Monday on the issue of persons with disabilities. He said that the political system is being destabilized for past two years. The president said that there is a need for a national dialogue on electoral reform, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan will decide to whom and when the dialogues will be held. Dr Alvi urged the media to play its role for the rights of special people and eradicating negative attitudes towards them in the society. He said government is taking all possible steps to make special people active members of society.
“The government is taking steps to provide free education to special persons from primary level to university level and under the Ehsas programme, 2 million special people will be assisted,” the president said. He said incumbent government has signed a memorandum of understanding with China under the Belt and Road Project to promote and develop a technology for the assistance of special people.
Dr Arif Alvi said that there is a lack of accurate statistics on special persons. In this regard, the survey conducted under the Ehsas program will be completed in June 2021. He appreciated media s role in creating awareness about breast cancer and women s rights.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said on Monday that the government was ready for dialogue with serious minded leadership of the Opposition and the forum would be the Parliament as it represented the people’s will.
Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, he said that national dialogue was part of politics but both Mariyam Nawaz and Maulana Fazalur Rehman who were not part of the parliament would be excluded from the process.
