‘Encroacher politicians to be exposed soon’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said he would soon tell the nation how many politicians had encroached on the state land who were trying to pressurise the government to get NRO.

In an interview with a private television channel, Imran expressed the confidence that the government would win majority in the upcoming Senate election in the parliament for smooth legislation.

“Insha Allah, we are hopeful…all legislation is stuck up there (in Senate). We faced utmost difficulty during the last two years. Every law used to stick up in Senate, as we didn’t have majority,” he said.

He said in a parliamentary democracy, the reforms process could not take place without joint working of the government and the opposition. He said though it was the government’s responsibility to bring reforms, it did not have majority to enact necessary legislation.

To a question, he said the opposition’s criticism of open ballot could be a plan to deprive the government of majority in the Senate election. He asked as to why the political parties which had agreed to open ballot in the Senate election under the Charter of Democracy, had now backtracked.

“They are just trying to pressurise the government… Their only effort is to get the relief in form of NRO,” he added. The prime minister said what kind of message the parliamentarians would give who would sell or buy loyalties in the Senate election.

“When the parliamentarians, at the helm, would bribe to buy or sell votes, how could they forbid an SHO or Patwari for doing the same? Corruption is starting from them,” he added. Commenting on the recently surfaced video, he said what kind of reputation the parliamentarians would have among the people who had seen this video.

Imran said the government had formed a three-member probe committee and asked it to also refer the matter to Election Commission and even National Accountability Bureau, if

required. Moreover, the attorney general would also apprisethe Supreme Court of the video as the apex court was hearing a reference seeking ruling for open ballot in Senate poll.

About the opposition’s viewpoint that the government started the process for open ballot late, Imran said he had been advocating it since his party had first formed the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Rubbishing the opposition’s notion, the prime minister said in case of Senate election through secret ballot, the government would always have advantage. “They will see whether we get votes (in Senate election) more than our strength. Then they will repent,” he remarked.

About the protest of government employees for salary increase, he asked what choice the government was left with after having inherited huge debt and paying half of its revenue to pay the loans taken by the previous regimes.

He said enhanced spending on salaries would swell the deficit and ultimately enhance inflation. “Despite financial constraints, the government has given a reasonable pay raise within the fiscal capacity,” he said.

Calling the PDM a "gang of looters", Imran Khan said they backed every movement against the government for the sake of getting an NRO. To a question, the prime minister said his team was in talks with the Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan, which had already agreed to defer their long march to April 20. “The government would present the TLP's demands in Parliament for consideration. No government, except for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, had taken a firm stance on Namoos-e-Risalat,” he added. “This is not out of any fear rather it is part of our belief,” he added.

He said blasphemy in Western states was committed under a conspiracy, as people there did not understand the reverence Muslims showed for Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

However, the prime minister opined that the issue would remain unresolved unless all the Muslim world leaders raise the collective voice. He said except him, only Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had spoken on the issue, while others were keeping mum. He said an effective action would happen when 15-20 Muslim world leaders spoke on the issue though the United Nations had also talked on the matter.

As the questioner suggested the prime minister to hold talks at least with the PPP, he said he had always been ready to talk but knew that every time they diverted the subject towards the NRO.

“They have one-point agenda… They want pardon as Musharraf gave them… I know them all,” he added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan was Thursday informed that an MoU had been signed with two banks through which loans with no ceiling limit would be provided for construction and purchase of new houses to the segments not covered under the government’s mark-up scheme. Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Housing, Construction and Development here.

The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the cooperation being extended by the commercial banks towards promoting construction activities. The prime minister also chaired a meeting on Nullah Leh project, which was attended by Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed and senior officials. The prime minister approved the plan that was estimated to cost Rs75 billion. The project will be completed in two years.

Under this project, an expressway would be constructed on both sides of the nullah. Two malls would also be built on government land and the project would be completed under the public-private partnership model.