ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday expressed his surprise overantics played by the opposition parties in response to the PakistanTahreek-e-Insaf government’s resolve to send the plunderers of the nationalwealth and those elements, who had parked their ill-gotten money abroad, tojails.
Addressing a gathering of overseas Pakistanis in Malaysia, the primeminister said laws were being tightened around the money launderers as anumber of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) had been signed withdifferent countries.
He said relevant information was being poured in about those elements, whohad plundered the national wealth and stashed the same abroad.
Imran Khan said he had not yet named anyone, but on the other hand,opposition parties comprising figures of different hues had gathered to‘save the democracy’ and dislodge the PTI’s government.
From the day first, they were declaring that the PTI’s government hadfailed, he said, adding in fact, they had the lurking fears, because theinformation about thievery was being gleaned by the anti-graft bodies andpassed on to him.
“Alarm bells have been set ringing for certain people and the days are notfar away when they will land in jails soon,” he added.
He said the opposition parties had gathered to hide their loot, declaringin clear terms that there would be no NRO (National ReconciliationOrdinance), or charter of democracy, as every crook would land in jail.
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Imran Khan also maintained that the opposition parties were facing the oldNAB cases and the PTI government had not yet filed a single case againstthem.
The prime minister also informed the expatriates about his government’ssteps to steer Pakistan out of the recurrent debt-trap.
He said they had sought financial loans from the friendly countries so thatthey could approach the International Monetary Fund with minimum bailout,but he cautioned that those were the temporary measures.
He unveiled that his government would announce a complete package foralleviation of poverty on next Sunday. They had learnt from the Chineseexperience in that regard.
Other financial steps to fix problems, he said the country’s export volumewould be raised and urged the overseas Pakistanis to send their remittancesthrough the legal channels as it would help Pakistan generate 10 to 15billion dollars for its ailing economy.For facilitating the overseas Pakistanis, the finance minister waspreparing a complete package, he said, adding the government was alsofocusing to increase investment through ease of doing business and removalof red-tapism.The investors would be encouraged through wealth creation facilities as thecountry’s development was highly dependable on investment which wouldultimately led to jobs creation for the country’s youth, he added.The prime minister compared the export volume of Malaysia which stoodaround 220 billion dollar per annum with a small 30 million populationwhereas with its huge population of about 200 million and massiveresources, Pakistan’s exports graph hovered around 24 billion dollar peryear.Prime Minister Imran Khan said for the first time in the country’s history,his government took the responsibility of providing shelter to the homelesspeople with all the basic facilities.He stressed upon strengthening the sense of responsibility towards thehapless and destitute segments of society and recollected the picture of alabourer wrapped in blanket with his three children and laying on a road.He said in Pakistan, there was no dearth of resources, but the lack ofgovernance system had affected its economy.He said those countries and nations rose to the occasions which had learntfrom their past mistakes and cited Malaysia which left Pakistan behind interms of economic turnaround.The prime minister noted that during 60s, no country in the region couldcompete with Pakistan in terms of economic prosperity, education andgovernance system.He observed the nations had to undergo ups and downs and the similarsituations could be faced by the institutions, but all those were ‘blessingin disguise’.He referred to the leadership of Mahathir that led Malaysia on the path ofprogress and development.The prime minister said how the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had raised his nationwhich later ruled the world. The Prophet (PBUH) lifted the conditions ofthe deprived and poor segments of society in Riasat-e-Madina.He expressed his optimism that the time was not far away when thecountrymen would not go aboard for job opportunities.The prime minister also lauded the role of overseas Pakistanis for theircontributions towards the national economy through sending of theremittances.He also praised Pakistan’s ambassador in Malaysia and his team forproviding facilitation and arranging meetings.
