Not worthy of Nobel Peace Prize: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said he is not worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize and that the person who solves the Kashmir dispute will be worthy of the prize instead.

"I am not worthy of the Nobel Peace prize. The person worthy of this would be the one who solves the Kashmir dispute according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people and paves the way for peace & human development in the subcontinent," the premier tweeted, amid worldwide acknowledgement of his peace gesture for releasing Indian air force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman after his plane was shot down.

Prime Minister Imran Khan's tweet comes as social media and prominent personalities in the political circles have been calling for him to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to defuse tensions with India.

#NobelPeacePrizeForImranKhan began trending on Twitter soon after the prime minister announced in a joint session of Parliament on Thursday that Pakistan would release Wing Commander Abhinandan after the Pakistan Air Force shot down his aircraft as it intruded into the Pakistani airspace. Abhinandan was handed over to Indian officials at the Wagah border crossing the next day.

Prime Minister Imran’s gesture was hailed by world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, British PM Theresa May, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who praised his efforts to avoid an all-out war.

A motion was also submitted in the National Assembly Secretariat on Saturday, calling for Imran Khan to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to refund the excess amount charged from the customers under the pretext of gas charges.The premier maintained that the departmental investigations revealed that excessive amount was charged to as many as 30 percent consumers.

Imran Khan said that he has ordered the immediate return of the amount charged. Sources said the government may also reduce the gas prices.

In a meeting on Tuesday, the prime minister ordered strict departmental action against the officials responsible for sending inflated bills to the consumers. Finance Minister Asad Umar, Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and other senior cabinet members were present on the occasion. The prime minister was presented with a preliminary inquiry report.