Governor rules out any threat to PTI govt

LAHORE : Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has assailed the opposition parties for unmindfully criticising the government and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan fulfilled his promise by making the sugar scandal forensic report public.

Chaudhry Sarwar said the PTI government was not facing any threat and general elections would be held on time in 2023. He said the PML-N had given Rs22 billion subsidy but the PTI government gave only Rs3 billion subsidy and still got all issues probed in a fair and transparent manner. He said the coronavirus pandemic had not damaged the economy of Pakistan but of the whole world and, therefore, lockdown restrictions were eased so that people could run their businesses and earn livelihood in a respectable manner. However, he said, the rush in bazaars and markets without observing SOPs and social distancing showed that they thought the coronavirus had gone.

He said some Rs500 million had been deposited in the Prime Minister Corona Relief Fund and ration distributed among over one million poor families. The governor was addressing ceremonies organised to distribute ration among poor families of Shahdara at the office of PTI leader Naeem Haider Butt on Ravi Road and at Walton Road on behalf of singer Ali Zafar as well as talking to media persons on Saturday. Red Crescent Chairman and singer Ibrar-ul-Haq, PTI leader Naeem Haider Butt, Waheed Ahmad, Chaudhry Khalid Gujjar, Akbar Khan and singer Ali Zafar were present on the occasion.

The governor expressed his condolences for all those, who died in the PIA aircraft crash in Karachi on Friday and prayed that Allah may rest all martyrs’ souls in eternal peace and help the bereaved family bear the irreparable loss. Replying to media questions, the governor said the people of Pakistan had given the PTI and Imran Khan a mandate to rule for five years and added that the government would complete its five-year constitutional tenure.

He said the government was facing no threat and working on a mission to serve the nation and the country. Unfortunately, he said, the opposition parties had nothing to say except criticising the government on its every endeavour. He observed that the opposition would continue criticizing the government, even if it would do best of best things for the welfare of the masses. Chaudhry Sarwar said as soon as the sugar scandal surfaced, the opposition parties started saying that it would not be investigated. When investigations completed, he said, the opposition started saying that the forensic report would not come. Eventually, he said, PM Imran Khan fulfilled his promise of making the sugar scandal forensic report public. Still, he regretted, the opposition was busy criticising the government.

The governor said PM Imran Khan had always made his point that the corrupt would not be spared as they were looting government’s resources and depriving the public of their due facilities. “Time has proved that Imran Khan is true to his words and practiced, what he said,” he said. The governor said Pakistan was among 20 countries in the world, where coronavirus was spreading at a faster pace. He said masses’ non-seriousness in observing SOPs and social distancing could further open the floodgate of spread of coronavirus. He said people’s non-serious might take Pakistan among the top 10 countries, where coronavirus spreading at a much faster pace. “We must observe SOPs and social distancing to protect people from coronavirus,” he said.

Sinegr Ibrar-ul-Haq lauded Governor Chaudhry Sarwar for providing ration for poor families and added that the Red Crescent would also provide ration to 400 poor families in Shahdra after Eid-ul-Fitr.

He said the Red Crescent was working to make Pakistan a developed and prosperous country as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Singer Ali Zafar said hundreds and thousands of people had become jobless including daily wage earners due to the coronavirus in the country. He said now it was the responsibility of haves to stand with poor families in this hour of need. He said the provision of ration to poor families in these times was the best service to humanity. He said that his NGO had also provided ration to thousands of poor families.