FAISALABAD: For a city to be successful, it has to be run like a country, said Prime Minister Imran Khan while addressing the business community in Faisalabad on Wednesday as he promised the best local government system in the country.
PM Imran said that it is the primary responsibility of the government to provide facilities to its people adding that Faisalabad can never be fixed from provincial development funds. "If we think we can run Lahore from the development funds of Punjab, it will leave the rest of Punjab far behind," he said.
While giving examples of New York, Tehran and London, the premier said that the world's successful cities operate independently. He said that mayor of every city to be elected directly.
“The idea is to run a city like a country. It is necessary to have a strong local government system to solve problems," the PM said.
He assured the business community that the government is working on creating facilities for their ease.
He then discussed Pakistan's financial position and said that the country has never taken as many loans as it has currently.
In a statement issued on Twitter, the PM Office had said the premier is scheduled to meet leading textile exporters, interact with factory workers during his trip. PTI lawmakers from the city are also expected to call on the prime minister.
He also inaugurated Kashmir underpass near the Kanal road, a model police station in civil lines and a soup kitchen outside the railway stations.
PM Imran was accompanied by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, Federal Minister of Industries and Production Hammad Azhar, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar.