-Takes calls from the public over an array of issues
-Vows to make corrupts, mafias surrender before rule of law
-Says govt firm to ensure socio-economic justice
-Claims Tarin appointment to slash inflation, increase growth
By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said bringing corrupt and powerful mafia accountable before the law was his prime goal to make Pakistan a great nation.
“To bring powerful accountable before law is a jihad. We will make corrupt political leaders and mafias surrender before rule of law,” the prime minister said in a live telephonic call session with the general public.
This was the third such interactive session titled ‘Aap ka Wazir-e-Azam, Aap ke Sath’, where the prime minister took live phone calls and responded to the questions of calls.
The prime minister, vowing to uphold the supremacy of law and justice to make Pakistan great, said that a nation could not become a strong nation unless it empowered its weaker sections, adding that this was the reason he had joined politics and named his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after justice. He said that the government was firm to ensure socio-economic justice in the country and mentioned that “we are nearing our destination and I will fight these mafias and win”.
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 prime minister urged people to wear face masks and practice social distancing to stem the spread of the virus.
Answering another question by the same caller, he said Pakistan was trying to produce vaccines locally and in this regard, he would “soon give glad tidings to the nation”. 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.’Appointed Shaukat Tarin to slash inflation, increase growth’
In response to a question on social media where a person asked the prime minister about the inflationary situation in the country, the prime minister said increased prices of basic commodities bothered him the most.”I have brought [appointed] Shaukat Tarin solely for two reasons; to bring down inflation and increase growth,” he said.
The prime minister then showed a graph, explaining that prices of petroleum products in Pakistan were much lower than those in other countries such as India.He said food inflation and prices of items of basic necessity had grown manifold around the globe, mainly due to the coronavirus pandemic.”We are not an island; whatever happens in the world effects us as well,” he said.The premier said rising electricity costs were also one reason why prices of food and other items were increasing. He said all contracts relating to the generation of electricity were signed decades ago.
He said due to the contracts signed by the predecessor government with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), the government was making hefty payments for electricity in “capacity contracts” whether the government made use of the electricity generated by these IPPs or not.Jahangir Tareen, corruption cases.
