PM Imran addresses criticism over 'chicken plan', says Bill Gates proposed it in 2016

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s proposal of poverty alleviation through poultry met with immense criticism after he put forth the recommendation of providing eggs and chicken to rural women during a ceremony marking his government’s 100 days in office.

The plan requires provision of livestock to women hailing from underprivileged backgrounds in order to encourage them for starting their own business. “The project has been tested and the government will provide injections to them for raising the chickens faster. This way they will have nutrient food for eating and more chickens and eggs to sell,” the premier had said.

The project however became no less than a joke as it was much criticised on the social media. 

Responding to the criticism that surfaced after, PM Imran hitting back at those making fun of his plan wrote on Twitter: 

"For the colonised minds when desis talk about chickens combating poverty they get mocked, but when "walaitis" talk about desi chicken and poverty it's brilliance!" 

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in a post uploaded Saturday, stated that the chicken plan initially emerged as the brainchild of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in 2016 as a plausible solution to eradicate poverty and hunger in the world.

The ruling party responded on Twitter saying, “Microsoft founder @BillGates launched a campaign to help extremely poor families in Africa by giving them chickens. However, when PM Imran Khan talks about it, it becomes an issue.”

“Propagandists really can't rise above their hate!” it added.

Gates had announced collaborating with Heifer International, a charity organisation that donates livestock to the needy and destitute around the world. Taking to his personal blog, he wrote:

“But through my work with the foundation, I’ve met many people in poor countries who raise chickens, and I have learned a lot about the ins and outs of owning these birds. (As a city boy from Seattle, I had a lot to learn!) It’s pretty clear to me that just about anyone who’s living in extreme poverty is better off if they have chickens.”

He added, “In fact, if I were in their shoes, that’s what I would do—I would raise chickens,” Gates went on to explain that birds are easy and inexpensive to keep and maintain, remain a good investment, keep children healthy and empower women.