PM orders 10-year audit of all govt departments

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the federal and provincial ministers to get their respective departments audited for the last 10 years and present corruption report before the media. Following this, the ministers have accelerated their actions against corruption.

Imran Khan also directed the ministers to strictly review the 10 years performance and uncover the corruption of the previous governments and put a report before the media. Meanwhile, the premier launched the government's Clean Green Pakistan initiative -- a countrywide cleanliness drive. While addressing the inauguration ceremony of the government's Clean Green Pakistan initiative, the prime minister said the project is aimed at changing mindsets.

"Islamabad's slums have turned into garbage dumps while clean water springs have become sewage drains. If we resolve to change things, every problem can be solved," Imran said. The prime minister remarked that governments cannot solve problems without the cooperation of citizens. He stressed the importance of involving children in the initiative. "We will reiterate the importance of keeping the country clean to our children," he said, noting that 40,000 minors die due to pollution.

Further, Imran Khan announced that a cleanliness competition will be launched on the tehsil level. He added that garbage dumping sites will be created in tehsils and villages. "The government, civil society, and students will participate in this initiative. We will also appoint ambassadors of Clean Green Pakistan," the prime minister said, adding he was hopeful that the cleanliness drive will grow after people will see visible changes in their surroundings.

The PM also announced that the government will take religious scholars on board. "We will request prayer leaders in mosques to appeal to the people to take part in the cleanliness drive," the premier said. "We will eradicate the deficit of toilets in the country by 2023," he said, adding that petrol and gas stations have been directed to keep toilets clean.

Moreover, Imran announced that employment opportunities will be created for the youth through the campaign. "We will use the services of the youth to monitor the initiative's progress," he said.

Muhammad Saleh Zaafir adds: Prime Minister Imran Khan has spoken of early implementation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects for the first time after assuming the office and ahead of his extremely significant maiden visit to China.

He, at the same time, has emphasised on the need to focus on early establishment of special economic zones (SEZs) in various parts of the country under the project. The prime minister was chairing a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) here on Monday to deliberate on his forthcoming visit to China and review the projects under the CPEC. The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Planning Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bukhtiar, Power Minister Omar Ayub Khan, Advisers to Prime Minister Abdul Razak Dawood and Dr Ishrat Hussain, foreign secretary, secretary planning and other senior officials.

The prime minister’s forthcoming visit to China and CPEC projects were discussed during the meeting. Imran Khan reminded that strengthening the all-weather Pakistan-China strategic partnership is cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy and early implementation of CPEC projects would help realise the true potential of Pakistan-China economic relations not only for the two countries but also for the entire region.

The prime minister said CPEC is a great opportunity to learn from the Chinese experience, especially in social sector, agriculture and other areas. He said the agricultural output of the country, considered as the backbone of economy, can be enhanced manifold by learning from Chinese expertise and employing latest technologies and efficient methods.

The prime minister emphasised on the need to focus on early establishment of SEZs in various parts of the country which would help the local industry to grow through industrialisation and would also create huge employment opportunities for the youth. The prime minister said the flagship CPEC under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of President Xi Jinping also offered opportunities to other countries to invest in CPEC projects and reap benefits in various sectors. The prime minister said strengthening the “all-weather” Pakistan-China friendship is a cornerstone of the country’s foreign policy. He said the ties between the two countries would further expand in the days ahead. The prime minister is expected to undertake the visit sometime this month.