PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Imran Khan stated on Friday that the country has now come out of extremely difficult time due to its policies.
An official handout said the prime minister was addressing three different meetings during his day-long visit to Peshawar. The meetings focused on the situation in the tribal districts after the merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The premier said expeditious development of the newly merged districts in erstwhile Fata was the priority of the government. “The federal and provincial governments would implement an overall recovery plan for the reconstruction, rehabilitation and creation of economic activities. Jobs would remove the backwardness and deprivation of the people of the newly-merged districts of erstwhile Fata,” he added.
Imran Khan’s first meeting here on Friday was with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Governor Shah Farman. He also presided over a meeting of the apex committee that reviewed the functions of the newly-constituted advisory committee in context of the merged districts and also the overall law and order situation.
The prime minister’s third engagement was to preside over a meeting of the provincial cabinet. The chief minister, governor, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood and others attended the meeting.
The chief minister and the governor briefed the prime minister about the administrative and security matters and extension of existing public entities and their functions to the merged districts.
The overall recovery plan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction and the start of economic and development activities in these districts was discussed. The chief minister briefed the prime minister about the pace of progress of reforms in the tribal districts in the post-merger period.
The prime minister was informed that the provincial government had already prepared a roadmap for the overall development and prosperity of the people of the newly merged districts.
“The public sector entities have already been extended to these districts. We would move ahead with the recommendations of the newly constituted advisory committee for redressal and coordination with the people,” Mahmood Khan said.
The chief minister asked the federal government to provide resources for the integrated development and rehabilitation and starting economic activities to bring the people to the national mainstream.
The prime minister pointed out that the people of erstwhile Fata had suffered considerably. “The militancy and the subsequent operations brought untold miseries to the people of these areas. The government has a commitment with the people for their expeditious development and mitigating their sufferings and deprivations,” he added.
He said the government would work for the uplift of the poor segments of the new districts. He said extension of Sehat Insaf Card would provide relief to the poor people as they would get free healthcare up to Rs720,000 per family annually. He reminded that the Sehat Insaf Card was first launched successfully in KP.
The premier said he was happy that the KP government had prepared an overall recovery plan for the people of merged districts. He assured the provision of resources for the expeditious development in the tribal districts. “The government will construct schools, hospitals and institution of social services,” he promised.
The prime minister directed the provincial ministers to visit the tribal districts and supervise the extension of their departments and the functions for efficient services delivery there. He said he was fully aware of the hardships of the people because of militancy and military operations. He recalled that he was against these operations in the past because the people had to suffer a lot. “At that time I had no power to make any decision,” he remarked.
Imran said that when he took over, the country had started sagging under the weight of internal and external debts. “Now the situation has improved considerably. The Saudi crown prince’s visit to Pakistan is a historic occasion to bring foreign investment in the country. This visit will create employment opportunities, stabilise Pakistan’s economy and enable the government to pay back the debts,” he argued.
The prime minister said his government would present a complete programme for poverty reduction towards the end of this month, adding, the Sehat Insaf Card was one aspect of the overall poverty reduction plan.
“Poverty will be reduced through Baitul Mal and social safety net by enabling the people to stand on their feet. The government will give a comprehensive plan for the overall development and the system will eliminate the exploitation of the poor and enable them to live with dignity in the society,” he declared.