NRO apple of discord between govt and opposition: Fawad
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LAHORE: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the unwarranted demand of an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) was an apple of discord between the government and the two main opposition parties.
Speaking at a ceremony held here to commemorate the first death anniversary of renowned journalist Munno Bhai, he said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had no personal differences with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), but the demand for ‘NRO’ by very sane lawmakers from both the parties for their ‘two leaders’ had stalled their relationship.
“How could the PTI government breach its trust of the masses by not fulfilling its commitment of curbing corruption in the country,” he said. The PPP and the PML-N were popular political parties and more than institutions for political workers, but such concessions to conceal corruption could not be allowed, he added.
The minister said there was no crisis-like situation in the country at present and all was in order. The country would traverse on the road to progress under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The current year, he said, was the year of exports and the PTI government would observe it as the year of economic resurgence. The year ahead would be marked by progress and prosperity as the largest oil refinery in the country’s history was being set up, he added.
Fawad said some changes were being introduced to the CPEC projects. The PTI’s vision would reflect in the CPEC initiatives in the year 2019, he added.
He said the PTI-led governments were doing better than the previous regimes.
On the issue of resignation of a PML-Q lawmaker during his interaction with media persons, the minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) was a distinct political party like the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and others and its members had every right to do politics in their constituencies. The alliances did not make the parties on entity. Some of the grievances of PML-Q, which carried weight, would be resolved through due consultation, he added.
“People do not part ways in good times and the country is passing through good times.”
He said PML-Q leader and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had a meeting with the prime minister and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.
To a question, the information minister said the military courts were constituted under the National Action Plan. The military courts did not exist in ideal conditions, but “we must keep in view the ground political realities and the presence of terrorisn in the country, which had made their existence necessary,” he added.
He said the government would try to evolve consensus on the issue in the parliament. The PPP and the PML-N were major political parties and they should take decisions of national importance rising above party interests, he added.
About Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, he said he remained finance minister of the province for more than a decade and was signatory to many controversial decisions.
The Supreme Court had ordered for shifting major investigations out of Sindh for such reasons. Democracy did not mean concealing crimes of others, rather than holding them accountable.
About the dams fund, Fawad said that criticism of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Prime Minister’s Mohmand and Bhasha Dams Fund was unwarranted. The title of the dams fund might be revised in consultation with Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa.
The government, he said, had planned to collect Rs 30 billion in a year in the dams fund, Rs 9 billion had been collected in the quarter of a year and the rest would be achieved as per planning. He said more dams were to be built in the country.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to support charities like Sundas Foundation.
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar was the chief guest while renowned journalists, including I A Rahman and Hussain Naqi, former federal information minister Pervaiz Rashid, dramatist Asghar Nadeem Sayed
attended the seminar. Known columnist Hassan Nisar presided over the ceremony.
APP
