ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday said Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari have become a warning for others for their deeds.
“The (stolen) public money is Allah’s curse. I have seen Nawaz and Zardari facing (Allah’s) punishment by coming in and out of jails, moving to Saudi Arabia or London just to cover up their theft and corruption,” he remarked in his address to the newly-sworn-in cabinet members of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Referring to the opposition’s alleged corruption, he said despite having appointed their man as the NAB head and signing Charter of Democracy (CoD) with rival party, the corruption scams of the PML-N were unearthed through the Panama Papers. He said the corrupt people as well as their children had to tell lies throughout their lives just to cover up their theft.
The prime minister said that for the very purpose, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was holding public gatherings despite sharp COVID spike and reported over 70 deaths on Tuesday as the country’s highest death toll during the last two and half months. He said the doctors and nurses were concerned over mounting pressure at hospitals, but the PDM was adamant to hold public gatherings, which shows that they don’t care about people.
Calling stress as the root cause of all major disease like heart, blood pressure and even cancer, the prime minister referred to the grilling of ex-finance minister Ishaq Dar by BBC’s host Stephen Sackur in an interview on Tuesday where he (Dar) was visibly under immense stress for facing questions about his assets and return to Pakistan.
"If you want to see stress, you should have seen Ishaq Dar’s face yesterday," the premier said, taunting the PML-N leader and terming his interview a pack of lies.
He said that as new Gilgit-Baltistan government was in place, the federal government would immediately launch work to grant it provisional provincial status for its uplift at par with other provinces.
The prime minister said an exclusive committee would be tasked to work out the formalities for the provisional provincial status on timeline-basis that would meet the longstanding demand of the people. The ceremony was attended by Minister for Kashmir Affairs and GB Ali Amin Gandapur, GB Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon and newly-elected Chief Minister Barrister Khalid Khursheed. After national anthem and recitation of Quranic verses, the GB governor administered the oath to the 12-member cabinet.
The newly sworn-in cabinet members included Obaidullah Baig and Raja Muhammad Zakria Khan Maqpoon as senior ministers, and 10 ministers including Fathullah Khan, Javed Ali Manwa, Muhammad Kazim, Wazir Muhammad Salim, Raja Nasir Ali Khan, Raja Muhammad Azam Khan, Haji Shah Baig, Haji Gulbar Khan, Mushtaq Hussain and Haji Abdul Hameed.
This was the prime minister’s second visit to GB in as many months as during his previous tour on November 01, he had announced his government’s decision to grant provisional provincial status to the territory which fell bad on India. The prime minister while congratulating the new GB government hoped that they would set new precedents and standards of public service there to win the people’s hearts as well as their prayers. He resolved that the PTI government would put the GB region on a development course, that would change people’s lives altogether through multiple projects in tourism, power, economic and health projects.
Reiterating his vision of Madina State model for Pakistan by uplifting the poor, he announced to launch anti-poverty Ehsaas programme in GB, besides giving Sehat Insaf cards of Rs10 million health insurance cover to entire GB population. He said lifting of the weaker segments is government’s top priority and the government wants to set new standards in this regard.
The prime minister said his government’s another major focus would be the exploitation of immense tourism potential of GB which attracted huge number of local and foreign tourists, particularly in summer. He said the government would extend easy loans to the people to build guest rooms to accommodate tourists and help build economy on which the federal government would update the chief minister in detail.
Moreover, the premier said the federal government was also in talks with an Austrian company, specialised in developing skiing resorts, which had shown interest in GB, observing that the area could host skiing games for expanded time due to prolonged snow cover there, contrary to other regions.
In such a case, tourism would also flourish even in the winter season, he added. The prime minister said a 250-bed hospital in Skardu would be completed soon that would be further expanded as per local requirements. He said that considering huge potential in GB, two hydro power plants were in progress, two more were in pipeline and another two had been approved for total power generation of 300MW to meet whole GB needs.
“Besides, micro hydel power stations would also be installed in villages on the model of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he added. The prime minister said as the area was connected with China and an important part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a special economic zone would also be developed there. He advised the newly elected GB government not to give up the principles of truth and honesty which were the core of the Seerah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) as well as the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said they had been given the power to change the people’s lives and it was the best opportunity to earn masses’ prayers which would also bring in mental peace as well as Almighty Allah’s appeasement.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced two new high altitude national parks in GB spanning over a huge area of 3,600 sq km that accounts for five percent of total GB land area.
The newly-notified ‘Himalaya National Park' and the ‘Nanga Parbat’ comprise unique ecological areas with very rich high altitude biodiversity as well as precious flora and fauna, which include snow leopards, Himalayan brown bear, Ladakh urial, ibex, markhors and blue sheep.
According to the data provided by the Climate Change Ministry, these two national parks have been announced under the PM’s ‘Protected Areas Initiative’ that aims to ensure the protection and preservation of natural assets.
With the announcement of these two national parks a globally unique ‘Nature Corridor’ has also been formed, which traverses a high altitude area (over 10,000 feet height) and connects KP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir through GB.
“It will provide a protected and managed corridor for preserving the wildlife of the area including the iconic snow leopard and national animal markhor,” the data said.
PM’s Special Assistant on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has also briefed the prime minister and said this high altitude nature corridor is an initiative of high global significance. He also informed him about initiatives to save the endangered Ladakh urial for which a breeding enclosure is being established in Skardu in the natural habitat of this dwindling species in order to enhance its numbers.
Meanwhile, in tweets, Imran Khan said that due to effective intervention by the government, ex-mill price of sugar is down by Rs20 per kg within 20 days.
The prime minister tweeted that “due to effective intervention by govt, ex-mill price of sugar is down by Rs20/kg. Distribution of imported sugar at controlled rates and timely start of crushing season also ensured. I have asked provinces to ensure fair and swift cane payments are made to farmers”.
In another tweet, he said, “I strongly recommend the serial Yunus Emre being shown on PTV for all those who are interested in Sufism (Marayfat).”