Govt supports transparent accountability: governor Sarwar

LAHORE:Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar on Wednesday said the government was supporting National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for taking action across the board against the corrupt and its transparent accountability process.

Talking to the media after addressing a function related to Information Technology here at Governor House, he said that Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was working actively and “We both have complete confidence in Prime Minister”. The governor said that all the allies, including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi were very much with the government. As per business plan, Governor House will bear its expenditures by holding commercial activities at the house and through other resources. Giving remarks about Nawaz departure from country, he said the court had permitted Nawaz Sharif to go abroad and it was hoped that he would come back to Pakistan after his recovery.

Sarwar said that political parties were formed by their leaders and workers, adding that Imran Khan had struggled against corruption, injustice and other social disparities for 22 years, which is part of country’s history, and people had also supported him actively.

To a question, he said that parliamentarians had the right to talk on issues and consult their respective party leadership, and if provincial parliamentary party of PTI discussed some matters, it was their prerogative.

So far as the chief minister was concerned, he was presiding over meetings regarding price hike and other public issues and making the all-out effort to resolve problems of the province, he said and asserted that he and Usman Buzdar had complete confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan and due to his trust they were holding their respective offices.

The governor said the PTI had been advocating for strengthening of the institutions from the day first and “we have taken practical steps in this connection after coming into power and purged the institutions of all sorts of political interference”. If Chairman NAB is talking about accountability of government, it is a clear proof that institutions were independent, and “we are all the time supportive of indiscriminate accountability”, he cited. Responding to a reporter’s question, the governor said the government did not put any hurdle on the health of Nawaz Sharif, who has now gone abroad and we pray for his early recovery.

So far as Asif Zardari is concerned, he also has the right to have medical facilities in accordance with the law and the constitution, he argued. Earlier addressing the ceremony, the governor said that today, Pakistan was faced with numerous challenges for which government was taking effective steps to overcome these and now Pakistan was advancing ahead with many successes on economic front. For the first time during last four years, he mentioned, country’s current account deficit was turned into surplus in October 2019, while exports had recorded 9.6 per cent increase when compared with last year and it was the result of viable economic policies of the government.

He assured that universities would be made focal points and best varsities of the world on the basis of technology, because world had changed now.

Business centres were also being set up in the universities and people/organisations interested in technology and agriculture would be attached with these centres, which would definitely help create job opportunities. He said that there was industrial revolution in Pakistan and youth must become part of this process.

“I am happy that PTI government is taking along the farmers and businessmen that is why Pakistan’s economy is getting strong day by day”, he added.