Azadi March: Zero tolerance for agreement violation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday warned that a strict action would be taken if the agreement signed with the government negotiation team was violated by the Azadi March organisers and participants.

Talking to the media after attending the federal cabinet meeting here, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the prime minister assured the opposition leaders that the government would not take drastic action as long as the Azadi March participants remained peaceful.

She quoted the prime minister as saying that the government committee was fully independent and that neither the governmentwas part of any secret deal nor will it compromise on corruption cases.

She said the cabinet discussed the Azadi March and expressed satisfaction over the negotiation committee’s efforts to ensure a peaceful protest without disturbing the law and order in the federal capital.

Awan said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had approved former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s bail in Al-Azizia case for two months on humanitarian and medical grounds and expressed hope that he would focus on his medical treatment.

She said the government will obey the court directions adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan had already made it clear that no politics should be done on the health issue of anybody. She said the government was providing best available medical facilities to Nawaz Sharif and prayed for his speedy recovery.

She said Nawaz Sharif or his family had never submitted any application for medical treatment abroad. She said it was strange that even healthy people caught diseases after getting behind bars.

Talking about the cabinet decision, she said the federal cabinet had given go-ahead for construction of Rs510 billion Dasu Dam after approval by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) and work on it would commence from next month.

Firdous said construction of Dasu Dam was delayed, as it was earlier scheduled to be launched in 2014 with project completion in 2019. “Unfortunately, the project to be funded by the World Bank could not be started due to different hurdles,” she added.

She said the cabinet discussed the laws related to investment and people-friendly policies and approved the re-organisation of the Board of Sui Southern Gas Company Limited. She said the prime minister had reiterated his resolve that the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) land would be used for establishing educational institutions and hospitals.

The members of the EPTB board were also approved. Dr Firdous said the cabinet was given a detailed presentation on the Ehsaas Programme and it was decided to grant 50,000 scholarships to the students of needy families in the next four years.

She said 120 universities would benefit from the programme, which could be availed by the families earning less than Rs45,000 per month. Two percent quota would be specified for the disabled and minorities.

She said Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to provide relief to the common man. The cabinet also approved agreements with Russia. The cabinet also approved construction of high-rises in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Peshawar.

Meanwhile, Dr Firdous Tuesday tweeted that the government had allowed the Azadi March in conformity with the democratic traditions. She, however expressed serious concern over what she called the presence of latest firearms in the protest march.

She questioned why those claiming to be waging a democratic struggle were carrying Kalashnikovs. She made it clear that the JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman would be responsible for any untoward incident in such a situation. She also condemned an attack on the Levies force in Barkhan area of Balochistan.