Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Monday said the PPP-led coalition government believed in taking all political and democratic forces onboard for the progress, development and welfare of the people.
He was talking to a delegation of BNP-A led by National Food Security and Research Minister Israrullah Zehri who called on him at the PM House.
Zehri discussed with the PM the current political situation in the country and expressed grief over the martyrdom of innocent civilians in the bomb blasts in Karachi. He said that the elements responsible for the barbaric acts should be dealt sternly in order to safeguard the lives of the citizens.
Raja said that such acts could not deter the resolve of the government, which was committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Other members of the delegation included Senator Mir Muhammad Ali Rind and Senator Kulsoom Perveen.
Separately, PM Raja urged the PPP workers to gird up their loins for the upcoming general elections. The government had put the democratic system back on track, he added. The PM expressed these views while talking to PPP lawmaker Wasim Afzal Chan, who along with his father called on the PM.
Raja said the PPP had successfully demonstrated that given the sincerity of purpose, political stability is possible by pursuing coalition politics. He also said that with the completion of the government’s tenure, all the critics and detractors of democratic system had been proved wrong and the country is heading towards the general elections, which is a milestone in Pakistan’s history.
Meanwhile, Raja directed the Information Technology Ministry and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to devise a mechanism on verification of mobile phone SIMs (subscriber identity module), in consultation with cellular companies.
The PM gave the instructions in a meeting with a delegation of private cellular operators at the PM’s House. During the meeting, the cellular operators informed the prime minister that the verification of SIMs was taking longer time and it would not be physically possible for them to verify the SIMs within the deadline.
The cellular operators informed the PM that presently, the SIMs were only being issued by their business offices. Earlier, 80,000 outlets were selling SIMs in the country.
After listening to the operators and representatives of the ministry, Raja directed the ministry to resolve the issue by March 7.
Separately, on the special recommendations of Finance Minister Saleem H Mandviwala, the prime minister has approved 20 percent special pay for the federal secretariat employees.
A press release issued by the Finance Ministry read the present democratic government was determined to facilitate the people in general and the federal government’s employees in particular.
The secretariat employees praised the decision. However, those working outside the secretariat in government departments and autonomous bodies have questioned the one-sided decision. They demanded that all government servants should be extended the facility otherwise it would vitiate the atmosphere and create ill will against the PPP government.