Corruption tumor needs surgery: PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said his government had no option but to go for surgery to remove the tumor of corruption that was hindering Pakistan’s development and prosperity.

“We will have to take tough, painful decisions to shore up economy. The nation should not despair, as corrupt people are spreading disappointment and despondency for their own political mileage,” said the premier.

The prime minister came back Friday after concluding his three-day official visit to Davos, Switzerland, where he participated in the World Economic Forum’s annual session, the media reports.

Imran said Pakistan’s economic trajectory and presence of enormous natural resources offered immense potential for investment.

In a meeting with Chairperson of Dogan Holdings Begumhan Dogan Faralyali who called him at Davos on the sidelines of WEF Annual Meeting 2020 on Thursday, the prime minister said the government had embarked upon a reforms agenda to facilitate investors.

Dogan Holdings is one of the largest Turkish conglomerates operating in energy, media, industry, trade, insurance, and tourism sectors.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Ambassador at Large on Investments Ali Jehangir Siddiqui, and Permanent Representative to the UN at Geneva Ambassador Khalil Hashmi also attended the meeting, said a PM Office press release.

The prime minister reiterated that his government will live up to its commitment of providing all possible support to investors for establishing businesses.

Dogan Faralyali appreciated Pakistan’s reform agenda and desired exploration of various potential sectors for investment.

In his keynote address at the WEF's special session, the prime minister highlighted his vision of Pakistan as an emerging economy and shared his views on current issues of regional and international importance.

On the sidelines, he held meetings with world leaders including US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Singapore’s prime minister Lee Hsien and President European Union Parliament David Sassoli.

He met with President International Monetary Fund Kristanline Georgieva, President Asian DevelopmentBank Masatsugu Asakua and Executive Chairman WEF Prof. Dr Klaus Schwab.

The prime minister also met corporate heads of several leading and discussed prospects of collaboration particularly in Pakistan's information technology, communications and other sectors.

In the domain of information technology, he held meetings with CEO YouTube Susan Wojcicki, CEO Facebook Sheryl Sandberg, CEO Siemens Joe Kaeser, Chairman Calik Holding Ahmet Calik, CEO SAP software company Christian Klein, Chairperson Telenor and Director General GSMA mobile operating company Mats Ganyrd.

In an interview with CNBC's Hadley Gamble, Imran Khan highlighted Pakistan's stance on important issues.

Meanwhile, in a tweet, the prime minister urged the Pakistanis, both at home and abroad, to come out on February 5 in support of the eight million Kashmiris, who had been besieged by 900,000 soldiers of India’s fascist Modi regime for almost six months.

“I want Pakistanis at home and abroad to come out on 5th February in support of the eight million Kashmiris, who have been besieged by 900k Indian soldiers for almost 6 months by the fascist racist Modi regime,” the prime minister said in a message on his Twitter.

The Government of Pakistan has also announced that it would launch a comprehensive campaign from January 25 encompassing rallies, seminars and exhibitions here and abroad to highlight the Kashmir dispute globally.

The government would run a media campaign in both print and electronic media to highlight the deteriorating human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).