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Thursday July 10, 2025

PM terms different use of laws for different segments injustice

By Mumtaz Alvi & Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
August 06, 2019

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday that different application of laws for different segments of the society was a great injustice and such trend weakened the basic structure of the society.

He observed this while speaking here at Prisoners Aid Committee meeting. He noted that it was a great injustice not to help those prisoners, who were financially weak or had none to rely on while at the same time extending preferential treatment to the influential prisoners.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the selective application of the law for the influential jail inmates affected writ and effectiveness of the law. He asked the committee to furnish recommendations for those, who were involved in minor crimes and also finalise recommendations for jail reforms.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary Interior, Home Secretaries of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and special Home Secretary Balochistan, Barrister Ali Zafar and other senior officials concerned.

The forum briefed the Prime Minister about the progress so far made with regards to the terms of reference of the committee. The committee was asked to compile data about prisoners involved in minor crimes, jail inmates above 70 years of age and female prisoners across Pakistan.

The committee wouldidentify minor jail inmates and those, who were in need of legal aid or financial help. It would also thrash out a procedure of extending help to them so that helpless prisoners could be given aid.

Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to accelerate efforts for reviving the Pakistan Steel Mills. While, presiding over a review meeting on progress in revival of Pakistan Steel Mills here, he emphasized it was a priority of the government to save Pakistan Steel Mills from further losses and revive it.

The Prime Minister said destruction of a profit-making organisation showed maladministration and negligence on part of the respective previous governments. The meeting was given briefing on the current situation of Pakistan Steel Mills, losses caused due to closure of the mills, and progress made so far on the decisions taken by the present government for revival of the Steel Mills.

The Prime Minister was informed that Pakistan Steel Mills was a profit-making organisation by 2008, but it started suffering losses in 2009, and it was completely closed in June 2015.

The meeting was also told that the organisation continuously remained in loss, and the government was bearing Rs370 million monthly expenditures under salaries of the employees, and so far, Steel Mills has outstanding amount of Rs217 billion.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed that his government will achieve the target of planting ten billion trees across the country during its term by involving all the provinces in the national cause.

Addressing a ceremony after inaugurating monsoon tree plantation campaign by planting a sapling in Islamabad on Monday he expressed resolve to fight the climate change effects by planting trees across the country to protect environment for the future generations. The Prime Minister said the youth has a major role to play in making the tree plantation drive a success.

Imran Khan said every Pakistani should plant two saplings on 18th of this month, taking part in the national drive. He said the Forest Department, districts administrations, and other relevant departments will actively participate in tree plantation drive, which will continue for the next four years. He said national parks will be developed across the country.

Imran Khan said PTI made Billion Tree Tsunami project in KP a success, which was also recognised by world environment organisations; and now the nationwide drive will also be pursued effectively.

Speaking on the occasion, Adviser to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to mitigate climate change saying 6.5 percent forest cover has been increased in KP after execution of billion tree tsunami project.

The Ministry and Islamabad administration will plant two hundred thousand saplings on thirty different places today.