PM invites opposition to discuss electoral reforms

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan during his address to the National Assembly on Wednesday formally invited the opposition parties to sit with the government for electoral reforms in interest of future of democracy in the country.

The prime minister said all the elections in the country after 1970 were controversial while fingers were also pointed on fairness of by-elections. “We have tried our best in the last two years as to which reforms in Pakistan should be introduced that everybody who losses should accept defeat,” he said.

He said the government had been looking towards the opposition on its response on draft of the electoral reforms for the last one year.” I want to tell the opposition that the electoral reforms were required for future of democracy in the country,” he said.

Referring to his experience as cricketer, the prime minister said he floated idea of neutral umpires and it should be matter of pride for Pakistan that the same was experienced in its team match. “Now the fairness in cricket matches is at that level after introduction of neutral umpires and other technology that there are no more controversies in this game,” he said.

Imran Khan said that now time has arrived that no one contesting elections should be worried about losing polls through rigging. He said his very first speech in the sitting assembly was disrupted as the opposition said the elections were rigged. “If your elections were not fair, you should also prove as how those were rigged,” he asked the opposition.

Imran Khan said his party demanded opening of four constituencies which was done on directives of the court at last and rigging was found there. “The judicial commission then also said the rigging was committed after end of the polling time,” he said.

The prime minister said that introduction of electronic voting machines was the only solution to check rigging after polling time. “We are also ready to hear to other proposals of the opposition parties to ensure free and fair elections,” he said.

The prime minister appreciated Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and his team for preparing federal budget as per his vision in pursuit of vision of Quaid-i-Azam which was ideology of Islamic welfare state on model of state of Madina. “The budget should reflect our vision of justice, humanity and self-respect which was also vision of state of Madina,” he said.

He recalled that the present government inherited record current account deficit and the government had to take difficult decisions and people were still passing through hard times. “I am pleased that our economic team has overcome the economic malaise.

He also thanked Saudi Arabia, UAE and China for their help in difficult times and saved Pakistan from default. He said it was effort of the government in the beginning that it should not have to approach IMF but had to take the decision and then COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

He also congratulated Asad Umar and his team in NCOC and Pakistan Army on coping with COVID-19 as he expressed gratitude for Almighty Allah in saving the nation from disaster. “We also decided against complete lockdown which could have destroyed the poor segment of the society,” he said.

The prime minister said the government also decided to open construction activity and promote agriculture sector and export sector. In addition, he said the Ehsaas programme also reached out 15 million people across the country.

He also thanked Allah that Pakistan achieved around 4 percent growth rate which also resulted due to bumping crops of wheat and sugarcane. “We also increased support prices of wheat and payments easily reached to farmers which they are re-investing,” the prime minister said adding the exports also increased by 17 percent in the last one year.

He said growth would be achieved by focusing on increasing exports, agriculture growth and industrial growth particularly supporting small industries. “In agriculture, we are issuing Kissan Cards and under this programme, the small farmers having land up to 13 acres, will be supported,” he said adding the agriculture sector would be supported with Rs160 billion through direct allocations and exemptions.

He was happy to note that the government has made record allocations for the social sector following concept of an Islamic welfare state saying they did not wait for trickle-down effect and decided to spend on the poor masses. “We are moving to direction of Islamic welfare state to which we should have focused 74 years back,” he said. In this connection, he talked about Kamyab Jawan programme, health cards, health insurance to all citizens and interest-free loans to small farmers, low cost housing and giving skill training to every member of a family.

The prime minister also talked about basic principles of justice as taught by Islamic and Holy personalities and Muslim heroes. He also pointed out that Sher Shah Suri also did away with dacoits on the land under his control saying the country having jungle law could never progress. “Unless we take influential to justice, no country can progress in the world,” he said adding that land mafia is a symbol of corruption in the country.