Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday the state had surrounded terrorists from all sides and they would be eliminated from the country.
Talking to a group of reporters at a prize distribution ceremony of the Crescent Model School, the minister observed that terrorism incidents had dropped to a great extent.
Condemning the attack on the Badaber airbase in Peshawar, the minister observed that there was a long interval in terrorist activities today due to the fact that gains were being made in the war against terrorism.
To another query, Iqbal said:”The nation will have to show unity and solidarity till we achieve ultimate victory against terrorists.”
About the Nandipur Power project, the minister said the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz inherited sick economy and incomplete energy projects launched by the previous government in 2007. He said the project remained stuck in official files for a long period of time, adding that it was practicable, but the PML-N government did not bury it, otherwise, contracting firms could have approached arbitrary courts and affected foreign investment in the country.
The minister, to another question, said the government started the Nandipur power project in the larger interest of the country.
He said the government would not compromise on transparency of any project, adding that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had ordered an enquiry into the project.
About the overall security situation, Iqbal said the situation in Karachi had improved a lot, while the situation in Balochistan in the running year was far better than it was in 2013.
He said the PML-N detractors had been creating a hue and cry to turn its success into failure as these elements wanted the PML-N to lose the 2018 general elections.
About the WAPDA privatisation, Iqbal said line losses were huge and the government wanted to privatise some private companies so that the line losses could be reduced by the investment companies.
About the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief’s call for another sit-in, Iqbal said Imran Khan must prove to be a mature politician because the masses did not approve of his negative politics.
According to the minister, new investment was floating in the country and the international monetary institutions had declared Pakistan’s economy as one of the better world economies. He said Imran Khan should not forget that his sit-in call would give out a negative signal for the whole world.
Earlier, addressing the ceremony, the minister said education was vital for progress and development. He also gave away medals to position holders.
