Not army’s job to set date for polls: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that judiciary and media are independent in the country and it is not the job of the Army to give date of holding the general elections in the country. He has categorically stated that people have given mandate to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the assembly will not be dissolved even a second before the due time.

He has made it clear that general elections will be held in July this year. “No one could compel me to dissolve the assembly,” he said.

Talking to newsmen here at Prime Minister Office (PMO) on Tuesday he said that he can give advice for dissolving the assembly if asked by the party president. The prime minister expressed the confidence that the ruling party would win 2018 elections on the basis of its performance. He said the PML-N government implemented its developmental agenda including initiation of numerous projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The prime minister said first Industrial Zone at Gwadar had been completed and work on Express Bay was underway. To a question, he said there is continued engagement with the United States including track two diplomacy.

He said Pakistan had made it repeatedly clear that there was no room for do more. The premier said Pakistan was engaged in the war against terror for its own security and interests. The prime minister said the Afghan conflict could be resolved through dialogue. He said if the United States is genuinely interested for peace in Afghanistan then it should provide assistance for repatriation of over three million Afghan refugees to their homeland.

The prime minister said there could be no normalisation of relations between Pakistan and India without resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

The PM said that people hadn’t accepted the verdict of July 28.

He said that the United States isn’t interested in Pakistan’s help but there is no accommodation for any “do more.”

He reminded that Pakistan didn’t initiate operation Zarb-e-Azb and Raddul Fasaad on behest of the United States since it was our own requirement. “We are not fighting the war against terrorism on other’s financial assistance but fighting it on our own resources.”

He recalled that India has stepped up defiance of ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC). “We don’t have any aggressive designs about India but we can defend our motherland befittingly. Pakistan and India should try to improve their bilateral ties instead enhancing defence expenditures. The basic dispute between the two countries is Kashmir issue,” the prime minister said.

The premier revealed that the PIA’s daily loss is Rs10 to Rs15 crore and due arrears against the national airlines are Rs450 crore. “It is beyond the capacity of the government to run the airlines with this huge loss. If the Supreme Court wishes to make a decision in this regard, it could do so. Our economy cannot tolerate the burden of the PIA,” he added.

He said that new Islamabad airport would be inaugurated in March this year. He was of the view that Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) cannot run the airport and it should enter into an agreement with any specialist company for the purpose.

A delegation of Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at PMO Tuesday. Chairman PTEA Shaiq Jawed and members of the delegation lauded the concerted efforts of the present government towards successfully overcoming the energy crisis in the country. The delegation also appreciated the export package announced by the government for the textile exporters.

The members of the delegation expressed their resolve to boost Pakistan’s textile exports beyond $40 billion in the next five years due to the support being given by the government.

Prime Minister Abbasi reiterated the commitment of the government to undertake all possible measures aimed at creating an enabling environment for the businesses to grow and making competitive headway globally. He said that Pakistan offers unlimited export opportunities as Pakistan has indigenous cotton production coupled with investment in value addition, and a well-trained labour force.

The delegation presented various proposals for further boosting country’s textile exports.

The Prime Minister assured that the proposals of the PTEA will be considered and steps will be taken to facilitate the textile exporters in consultation with all the stakeholders for export oriented growth in the country. Minister for Power Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali was also present during the meeting.