- PM says his govt will let PTI protest sit-in die its own death as protesters get ‘fatigued and impatient’ like PAT workers
- Thanks parliamentary leaders for support, refuses to comment on PAT-govt deal
- Some parliamentarians advise PM not to accept PTI lawmakers’ resignation while some say resignations should be accepted to quell possibility of PTI-MQM alliance to remove NA Opp leader
- PM approves assistance package for government servants who die in service
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Wednesday that the government will not let anti-government parties succeed in their strategy to get more “bodies” to win the nation’s sympathy by posing as victims, adding that the protests will die their own death after the protesters are “exhausted and fatigued” as in the case of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).
The premier was chairing a meeting of parliamentary party leaders to consult them on the prevalent political situation in the country at the PM’s Parliament House chamber.
Sharif said his government wants to ensure good governance through a consultative process with opposition parties, emphasizing that all political issues should be discussed and resolved in Parliament.
The premier chose not to answer when asked by the participants whether PAT Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri had returned home after striking a deal with the government and receiving money for calling off the sit-in, said a lawmaker who attended the meeting. He added that Sharif merely said that he had decided not to humiliate the cleric.
Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao told Pakistan Today that the premier said that the government would continue its policy of allowing the protesters to grow “fatigued, bored and impatient” and not allow them to pose as victims by winning “dead bodies”.
A source said that the PM was advised to launch a stringent strategy against the PTI protesters as the backbone of PTI sit-in–the PAT protesters–had returned home. The government believes, he added, that PTI has been weakened after the departure of PAT workers and PTI protesters can easily be removed from D-Chowk.
The parliamentary leaders advised the PM not to accept resignations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers, stating that this step may further ignite fury among the opposition ranks and may stop the ongoing divisions within PTI’s parliamentary group, said another lawmaker who attended the meeting.
A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader told Pakistan Today that the proposal to accept PTI resignations was aimed at quelling a possible alliance between the PTI and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to remove National Assembly Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah.
The meeting was attended by NA Opposition Leader Shah, Senate Opposition Leader Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, NA members Dr Farooq Sattar, Mehmood Achakzai, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Ijazul Haq, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Abdul Rashid Godail, Sahibzada Tariqullah, Dr Ghazi Gulab Jamal, Abbas Khan Afridi, ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Zahid Hamid and Political Secretary to PM Asif Kirmani.
RELIEF PACKAGE FOR DECEASED GOVT EMPLOYEES’ FAMILIES:
In the meanwhile, the PM also approved an assistance package for the families of government employees who die during service.
In case of in-service deaths, the amount to be given to families of the deceased of BS-1 to BS-16 has been increased to Rs 2.5 million, BS-17 to Rs 4 million, BS-18 and 19 to Rs 8 million and BS-20 and above to Rs 9 million.
In case of violence related deaths the amount for BS 1-16 has been increased to Rs 3 million, BS-17 to Rs 5 million, BS-18-19 to Rs 9 million and BS-20 and above to Rs 10 million.
In case of both in-service deaths and security related deaths full pay and allowances will be authorised to the families of government servants till the date of superannuation, with increments and with full benefits of the revised rates of all pay and allowances, as allowed by the government from time to time.
In both the cases families will be allowed retention of government house or payment of rent for hired house for a period of five years or till the age of superannuation, whichever is later.
The package also includes provision of free education to all the children of the deceased, including tuition fee, books and related material and living allowance.
Cash payment would be admissible to the families in lieu of the previous policy of giving away a plot of land at the rate of Rs 2 million for BS-1-8, Rs 5 million for BS-9-16 and Rs 7 million for BS-17 and above.
Employment would be given to widow/widower, one son or daughter to the posts in BS 1-15 on regular basis.
In terms of GP Fund the approved assistance package includes 50 percent bonus for employees in BS-1-3 while 30 percent bonus for employees in BS-4-22.
In case of security related deaths a grant from the Benevolent Fund ranging from Rs 200,000 to Rs 500,000 has been approved.
All departments concerned have also been given guidelines regarding timely filing of assistance cases and streamlining pension procedure and payments.