ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan has said PTI government has paid back10 billion dollars on debt servicing on loans taken by the previousgovernments.
In an interview to a private TV Channel, he said we are focusing oncontrolling current account deficit and money laundering to relievepressure from the rupee.
He said we inherited record current account deficit of over 19 billiondollars, which increased pressure on rupee.
Prime Minister said the previous government took commercial loans of 14billion dollars on high interest rate.
He said Pakistan might have defaulted had the friendly countries like SaudiArabia, UAE, China, and Qatar not come forward to help us.
The Prime Minister said money laundering of 10 billion dollars takes placein Pakistan every year, which needed a special focus.
He said a comprehensive plan is being evolved to control smuggling andmoney laundering for which new legislation will be brought in.
Imran Khan said we are following Chinese model for wealth creation. He saidsituation will soon become normal as a meeting is scheduled on Wednesdaywith the IMF to finalize the loan agreement.
Responding to a question, the Prime Minister said that the government isincentivizing the export sector.
Answering a question, Prime Minister’s Advisor on Finance Dr Abdul HafeezShaikh, who was also present on the occasion informed that no tax has beenimposed on exports sector and the government is providing subsidy to theindustrial sector on gas, electricity, and loans.
Replying to a question, Imran Khan said the revenue target of 5,500 billionrupees set for the current fiscal year will be achieved through reforms inFederal Board of Revenue and broadening the tax net. He said every eligiblecitizen will have to become filer to enhance tax net of the country.
To another question, the Prime Minister said we are focused on growth butquality growth as the PML-N government made record imports of 61 billiondollars to take the growth rate up in a fake manner.
He said Housing Sector has great potential of creating jobs and improvingeconomy. He said through constructing five million housing units, economywill be strengthened.
Imran Khan said record remittances were witnessed since PTI came to powerand we are making efforts to control money laundering and slashed importsworth five billion dollars.
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Regarding attracting foreign investment to the country, the Prime Ministersaid Russian and Central Asian States are taking keen interest to invest inPakistan as our Gwadar Port provides the shortest route to reach out otherregions. He said due to Pakistan’s geo-strategic position, Japan alsodesires to relocate its industry to Pakistan to reach out to Chinesemarket; similarly, China alone undertakes exports of two trillion dollars.He said we have come out of the difficult phase and now we are headingtowards stability and the issue of exchange rate will also be settled oncethere is stability in the country.
The Prime Minister, while answering to a question, made it clear that hewill not give any NRO to anybody. Without naming any specific leader, hesaid sons of a former ruler have approached two foreign countriesrequesting them to convince Imran Khan to give an NRO for their father. Hesaid leadership of those countries has told him that they knew him betterand will not ask him for any leniency for those, who looted this country.
He said Pakistan’s debt soared from 6,000 billion to 30,000 billion rupeesbecause of two NROs given to the leaders of PPP and the PML-N. He said NROis not happening in Pakistan anymore as he will not be pressurized by anycountry of the world to give any leniency. He, however, said that this timethey have to return Pakistan’s money. Imran Khan said he has asked the LawMinistry to legislate something that removes these money launderers from Aclass jails and imprisons them into jails where any other Pakistani thiefwould be imprisoned. Why have we kept money launderers as VIPs?
The Prime Minister said politicians’ benami accounts and properties willalso be seized starting from tomorrow. He also urged common Pakistanicitizens to take advantage of the Asset Declaration Scheme expiring onWednesday to avoid confiscation of their undeclared assets. He made itclear that deadline for amnesty scheme will not be extended.
Regarding Afghan imbroglio, Imran Khan said he has always been saying thatthere is no military solution to Afghan issue and now the internationalcommunity also acknowledges his stance. He said it is also in the bestinterest of the world to avoid any confrontation between the United Statesand Iran.
Imran Khan said electricity prices increased because PML-N left the biggestcircular debt of 38 billion rupees in Pakistan, while the PTI governmenthas brought it down by 12 billion rupees.
To a question, FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi, who was also present on theoccasion, said that the government is making undocumented businesscommunity go towards documentation. He said this transition will take sometime and that is why activity is low at business hubs like Karachi.
Regarding agriculture sector, Imran Khan said for the first time farmersgot full price of their wheat and sugarcane prices and now we are bringinga comprehensive policy to uplift this sector.
He said 152 billion rupees have been earmarked in the current budget forthe development of newly merged tribal districts with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Replying to a question, he said reforms will be introduced to improvejudicial system and the police.
Imran Khan maintained that Asif Ali Zardari visited Dubai forty times as aPresident of Pakistan while Nawaz Sharif visited different countriescosting 640 million rupees as Prime Minister of Pakistan. He said the priceof Hassan Nawaz’s resident in London is 64 million pound.
The Prime Minister said that 7 billion dollars were wrongly spent forartificial stability of value of rupee in PMLN government.
