‘Parliamentary system is protected under constitution’: Sh Rashid
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LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said that the Parliamentary system was protected under constitution of the country.
He was responding to a question about chances of changing parliamentry system with Presidential form of governance in the country, during a press conference at PR headquarters here on Saturday morning.
” The country will move ahead with in the limits of Parliamentry system only”, he added.
He said that the PTI government would complete its five-year tenure under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said that Imran was struggling hard for improvement of the system and uplift of common man and it was his prerogative to change any minister whenever he liked it.
He said that the national exchequer was empty when the PTI took over charge and Asad Umar did his utmost effort for the improvement in the economy.
” I will request him to change his decision of leaving the cabinet,” he added.
The minister said that newly appointed Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh was also a good economist and politician.
To a question, Sheikh Rashid said that there was no room for Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari in the national politics in future.
“PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zaradri will also damage his political career if he tried to protect his father’s corruption,” he said.
He was of the view “thieves and robbers like Sharif and Zaradri badly looted the country and the current inflation was result of their corruption.”
” Nawaz and Zardari are responsible for the inflation, price hike and heavy utility bills,” he added.
To another question, he said that there was no option other than going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) due to the bad financial condition of the country which PTI inherited from its predecessors.
” World Bank and Islamic Bank will also provide financial cooperation after Pakistan finalizes deal with IMF,” he added.
The Minister said that the Railways earned Rs 4 billion more than its target this year, adding that workers would be facilitated in the upcoming budget of the railways.
He alleged that some International forces were conspiring against the ML-1 and these forces were creating hurdles in this regard.
However, he hoped that agreement regarding ML-1 with China would be signed during his visit to China between April 25 to 27 and the nation would hear a good news about the railways soon.
“After upgradation of ML-1, journey between Karachi and Lahore will be squeezed to eight hours,” he claimed. Minimum speed at the ML-1 would be 160 km/hour, he said.
Sheikh Rashid said that the railways would provide employment to at least 1,50,000 people in near future. He said that the Railways was backbone of the country but the previous rulers just wasted national money on roads instead of railways.
He alleged that the previous rulers just made procurements in the railways but did not upgrade the system.
” I have eliminated corruption in the railways,” he added.
The Minister said that trackers were being installed in the freight trains after passenger trains for their better monitoring.
He said that he was struggling for one grade promotion to the railways employees. He said that he had cancelled tender for purchase of passenger coaches and a new tender would be announced later.
The Railways Minister also announced that all those officers would be transferred who were working at any post for three years.
To another question, he said that Jinnah Express train would be gradually upgraded within one an half month. He said that another new VIP train Sir Syed Express would also be inaugurated soon.
APP
