Govt’s efforts for economic stability being acknowledged by world bodies: Pervaiz

Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid has said that Pakistan is moving on the path of development and prosperity, and international organisations are acknowledging its economic stability.

Reputed organisations like Transparency International were publishing reports of massive decrease in corruption in the country, he said while talking to state-owned PTV.

The minister said Pakistan today was being considered as the most favourite destination for foreign investors. Speedy work was underway on various welfare projects launched by the incumbent government, he added.

He said when the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government came into power in 2013, foreign investors were reluctant to invest in the country, but owing to government’s efforts, conducive environment was ensured and now the foreigners were taking keen interest to invest here.

Rashid said the ratio of tax collection had increased during the last three years. “Now it was highest during the last ten years,” he added.

He said the projects kicked off by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif were aimed at the country’s progress and to facilitate the masses. The same were not started keeping in view the election campaign, he added.

The government was committed to resolve all issues including energy shortage and steps were being taken in this regard, he said and expressed the government’s resolve to end power load-shedding from the country by 2018. Load-shedding for the industrial sector had already ended, he added.

Rashid said the name of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not mentioned in the Panama Papers but he had presented himself and his family for accountability.

He said the Prime Minister had announced to form a judicial commission to carry out investigations of the Panama Papers but the opposition was now escaping from the commission.

The government, he said, wanted to hold a transparent and impartial inquiry into the matter while the opposition was merely doing politics on the Panama report.

The minister said some family members of Imran Khan also owned assets abroad and they had even admitted the same.

He said the Prime Minister had declared all his assets and nothing was hidden. He was paying taxes regularly.

He said the government had prepared comprehensive Terms of References (ToRs) and included all those allegations which were being levelled by PTI chief Imran Khan to get the matter resolved. But the opposition’s ToRs were person specific while the names of the bank defaulters had been removed, he added.

He said Imran Khan had levelled allegations of rigging in the general elections 2013 but nothing was proved against the government as its hands were clean.

He said the PTI workers and supporters misbehaved with respectable women in their Lahore and Peshawar gatherings and now the party was blaming the PML-N workers in that respect.

To a question, Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was an independent national institution and no one could interfere in its affairs.

The NAB conducted an important operation in Balochistan and arrested the accused, who were now behind the bars, he said.

The minister said the projects of public welfare in Balochistan were the top priority of the government.

He said despite having majority by the PML-N in Balochistan, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif offered to Dr Abdul Malik to form his government in the province.

He said the law and order situation had improved in Karachi and no political party was targeted in it. The people were enjoying peaceful life without fear in the metropolitan city, he added.