Rs500m per head for MPs

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday urged the lawmakers from treasury benches to focus more on development projects and success of Ehsaas programme.

The premier said Karachi could not be left at the mercy of the provincial government. He said whether the provincial government supports it or not, the Centre will fulfil its responsibility. He observed this while presiding over a meeting of the parliamentary party of the PTI and coalition parties.

In the meeting, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh gave a briefing on loans and economic situation while Minister for Planning Asad Umar gave a briefing on Karachi Development Plan.

With the much-debated Senate elections not far away, the PTI members started remembering Jahangir Tareen, the former PTI secretary general. Some members of the meeting criticised Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Saifullah Nyazee, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and the economic team. PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan demanded accountability of the ministers and said that the people are not getting anything like pulses and sugar, while the prime minister’s advisers, and ministers are showing ‘Sabz Bagh’ (all ok), while Abdul Hafeez Shaikh used to say the same thing in 2008.

Addressing the forum, Imran Khan said the PDM had put full emphasis on the meetings but the people were not with them. “They wanted to trap us in the Election Commission, but now they are trapped,” he said, adding that the PDM is past now.

“The opposition is not a problem for us. If we care about the poor, then the rest of the issues will be fine. A commission has been formed on the Broadsheet issue. Surrey Palace and Hudabiya Paper Mills case will also be fully investigated,” he said.

Imran Khan said the opposition is playing the game of protecting its own interests. He said amendments may be made to the Constitution for Senate elections if needed. The prime minister announced development funds of Rs500 million for each MP by the government.

Criticising the Karachi plan in the meeting, Najeeb Haroon said that nothing will happen till 2023, and the drains will not be clean. He said there were voices of grouping in the party in Sindh, as the game of interests is going on.

The prime minister said that for the first time the Karachi Transformation Plan is being carried out seriously. During the meeting, the premier also asked lawmakers of the allied parties not to worry as their issues will be resolved on priority basis.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan discussed legislative matters relating to the Parliament as well as the Senate with Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani. The discussion took place here as the chairman Senate met the prime minister. The keenly-awaited elections of the Senate were understood to be discussed between the two, as the ruling PTI, which sits in the House as minority along with its allies, is expected to most likely emerge as the single largest party after the elections, before March 11. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and briefed him on reforms in the administration of universities in the province. Singer Shehzad Roy also called on Imran Khan during which talks were held on promotion of education in the country and improvement of education system.