Steps under way to improve common man’s life: Firdous

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is taking steps to improve the life of common man by introducing programmes like Ehsaas and Sehat Insaf Cards.

Talking to a private news channel on Sunday, she said the government was promoting export-oriented industry by taking ease-of-doing-business initiatives. The measures adopted for facilitating the investors was restoring their confidence, she added. "Today Pakistan is in safe hands as the civil and military leaderships are on same page to steer the country out of crises," she said. Dr Firdous said reforms were being introduced in national institutions for better public services delivery. She said in a democracy, the opposition’s role was critical.

She said Jammu and Kashmir was a national issue and all opposition parties should join hands with the government for exposing Indian human rights violations in the occupied Kashmir across the globe. She said the incumbent government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, was telling the international forums that the Indian narrative on Kashmir was wrong. The world powers like Russia and China were supporting Pakistan’s stance, she added.

To a question, she said no government could think about changing policy on Kashmir issue. Firdous said the government was utilising all channels to sensitise the world about the importance of resolution of Kashmir dispute as it might become a nuclear flash-point between Pakistan and India. A war between the two nuclear states of South Asia would affect the whole world, she added.

The special assistant said that due to an effective foreign policy, the Kashmir issue had been discussed by the United Nations Security Council after decades while the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Union had also expressed concerns over human right violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

To a question, she said the world was giving priority to their economic interests than the issues like Kashmir. However, the foreign ministers of United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia had visited Pakistan and asked India to lift curfew in the Occupied Valley, she added. She said Punjab Minister Usman Buzdar was running the affairs of his province efficiently and the cabinet reshuffling by him was aimed at improving services delivery to the people.

Meanwhile, in a tweet, she said dispensation of speedy and inexpensive justice was basic ideology of PTI and the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. She said Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill sets the legal condition of disposing of civil cases in civil courts to Supreme Court to two years. Earlier, one generation used to file cases and it was decided at the time of third generation, she added. Dr Firdous said the process of issuing and receiving of legal summons to attendance and witnesses in the court was being linked with modern technology. She said inheritance right available to women under Islam had turned into social and legal complications.

Firdous said Prime Minister Imran was determined to transform society on the pattern of state of Madinah and the law constituted under his direction would ensure women get their due share in property.