CM says corruption roadblock to progress and development

PESHAWAR: Caretaker Chief Minister Syed Arshad Hussain Shah said on Thursday corruption was a social evil that eats away the society like a termite.

“A society which becomes a victim of corrupt practices, does not need any external enemy for its destruction; its corrupt system alone is enough to destroy it,” he said while addressing a seminar.

National Accountability Bureau Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment had arranged the seminar at the Nishtar Hall.The caretaker cabinet members, government officials, students and representatives from civil society attended the seminar.

The chief minister said corruption had always been considered as a roadblock to national progress and development, and as a result, people lost trust in the system.He said the caretaker provincial government was not only committed to promoting transparency and to eradicate the scourge of corruption but also taking curative measures to this effect.

Syed Arshad Hussain Shah added that the government had introduced “Prosperous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Vision” and the most important component of that vision is “Zero Tolerance Policy” against corruption. We will strictly monitor the public service delivery centers and eradicate the root causes of corruption and malpractices, he added.

The chief minister appreciated the efforts of NAB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment and assured that the KP government would stand by the NAB for this purpose.

Meanwhile, talking to journalists during his visit to Chinese Cultural Centre “China Window” Peshawar, he said that improving law and order in the province was one of the key areas of the government, adding that the security forces, police and other law enforcing agencies were doing well to achieve the desired results.

Responding to a question, the chief minister said concrete measures were being adopted to ensure security of development projects being carried out under the portfolio of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Touching upon the Pak-China friendship, Arshad Hussain Shah said that Pakistan and China enjoyed cordial and long lasting relations and establishment of China Window in Peshawar was praise worthy effort for further strengthening the relations between both the countries.

He visited the various galleries of “China Window” and took keen interest in cultural objects displayed there. The chief minister was accompanied by caretaker ministers Mian Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel, Dr AAmir Abdullah and Dr Najeeb.