On course to deliver on promises: PM

ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has said the government is moving in the right direction and it will fulfill its promises. The prime minister said this while chairing a meeting to review his 100-day plan as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) completes its first 100 days in office on Tuesday.

In the meeting held at Banigala, the premier said that all the six points under the 100-day plan are under implementation. He said the fruits of reforms will reach the public soon. He said the people have attached great hopes to the government, adding the government will achieve its targets and economy of the country will stand on its own feet soon.

According to sources, the reports of PTI ministers, divisions and ministries related to the 100-day plans were also presented to the prime minister.

Another meeting about the 100-day plan has also been called tomorrow (Thursday). The sources said the PM will apprise the nation of the 100-day plan during the meeting and the topics to be discussed during his address will be in focus. According to sources, the targets that have been met will be finalised in the meeting. “Those in attendance will also be briefed on the governance, austerity campaign and decisions undertaken by the cabinet. The premier will also be apprised of the performances of advisers,” the sources said. A briefing will also be given on the performance of the federal ministries, including communication, information, housing, railways, law, environmental change and privatisation. The meeting will also review steps taken for public welfare projects.

Meanwhile, the prime minister chaired a meeting at his office about issues relating to Islamabad. The Chief Commissioner, Islamabad, Amir Ahmed Ali, IG Islamabad Amir Zulfiqar and other senior officers attended the meeting. The interior secretary briefed the PM on various short and mid-term initiatives to transform the federal capital into a model city, progress towards revision of the master plan of the capital and successes made so far in the anti-encroachment drive against land mafia in the capital. Imran Khan was informed that significant progress has been made in the anti-encroachment drive. Besides retrieval of 75 acres of land in Tumair, 114 kanal at Margalla foothills, land of Botanical Garden, has been recovered and handed over to the Ministry of Climate Change.

Besides clearing the markets from encroachers, green areas annexed by the houses in various sectors of the capital would also be cleared in the next few days.

About the action against the drug mafia, especially around the educational institutions, so far 117 cases of narcotics have been registered in the last 25 days. The premier was informed that a system of holding open kachehris in all the four zones of the capital were started in order to receive and address the complaints of the citizens against the land mafia.

The computerisation of land record and the Computerized Complaint Management System is being put in place to address the illegal land grabbing issues. The PM was informed that besides proactive action by the ICT Police and ANF, comprehensive plans were prepared to get the support of citizens, especially parents of students, to curb drugs from the capital.

The prime minister also chaired a meeting to discuss the potential and issues related to livestock, backyard poultry, small and medium dairy farms and agriculture produce markets in the country. Imran Khan directed the authorities concerned to chalk out a comprehensive plan to address the issues related to the livestock sector. The premier approved a proposal for the establishment of a model agriculture produce market in Lahore which would serve as a model and would be replicated in other parts of the country to facilitate farmers in their agricultural produce. The prime minister was also briefed on the potential in the backyard poultry and small and medium dairy farms.

Meanwhile, delegations of Suzuki Motors Corp and Coca Cola from Turkey held meetings with Imran Khan separately at the Prime Minister’s Office. The prime minister assured the delegations of continued support of the government towards availing the existing business opportunities in the country and taking advantage of the investment friendly policies of the government. He said the government is committed to facilitate investors in taking advantage of the existing opportunities in the country by providing a level playing field.

The Suzuki Motors delegation included Osamu Suzuki, Global Chairman Suzuki, Kinji Saito, Masafumi Harano, Shigeo Takezawa, Yusuke Katto and Shafiq A Shaikh. Ambassador of Japan Takashi Kurai was also present during the meeting. The delegation briefed the prime minister on the existing investment of Suzuki Motors Corp and the future investment plans in the country. The prime minister was also apprised about the plan for construction of second plant by the company to manufacture additional 100,000 vehicles per year.

The delegation of Coca Cola from Turkey briefed the PM about Coca Cola’s existing investment of $500 million in the country and future plans of $200 million investment in the coming 2-3 years that will create new jobs, support ancillary industries and help the government earn incremental revenue through taxes, as the business grows further.