From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that the present coalition government has again turned the country’s economy towards rehabilitation.
The PDM government took difficult decisions and laid the foundation of economic recovery and those who had jeopardized the economy should scare of the elections.
Talking to media after addressing as chief guest the Lifetime Achievement National Engineering Excellence Award ceremony organized in his honour by Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) at a local hotel, he said, “We have the pride to save the country from default. I am sure the nation will vote for those who ensured continuation of Pakistan’s economic recovery policies.”
He added that coalition government would quit on completion of its constitutional term, and after that a caretaker government would be at the helm of affairs, asserting that Election Commission of Pakistan would conduct the general election in the country so that a new elected government come soon. The country would definitely go towards real democracy as authority rested with the people.
Ahsan Iqbal said that country’s economy could never be strengthened and development could not be ensured unless the loss making public entities were privatized and the power sector’s circular debt was terminated.
He said that“Our youth can play a pivotal role in the IT sector that is in great demand in the world. We are also making the IT sector as a source of women empowerment”. Meanwhile, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday said a recent statement of his, in which he appeared to say that China advised Pakistan to not “conduct any experiment” during the 2018 elections, was taken “out of context”.
His clarification follows media coverage of his statement made on Geo News’ programme ‘Jirga’ last night, during which he discussed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Iqbal had said, “Let me also tell you that it is in my personal knowledge that China — in their usual diplomatic manner — tried to convey to that time’s establishment that you should not conduct any new experiment because [then] CPEC will get derailed.” Members linked to the coalition government, have on multiple occasions, accused the then-PTI government of harming progress on the multi-billion dollar CPEC project.
“And then they (China) were told that ‘no, whoever comes next, rest assured, we will keep them right and they will continue [CPEC]’.”
When host Saleem Safi sought confirmation of his claim, the minister went on to explain, “It is in my knowledge that in their usual cautious manner, they had conveyed that any sort of experiment for change will not be in Pakistan’s favour and will destroy CPEC as well.
“Therefore, you should not interfere in the elections — let fair and free elections take place”, he quoted the Chinese officials as saying to the establishment.
