Spare me the flak, PM asks media

• Imran Khan seeks three months to bring visible change in country as he urges media for constructive criticism 
• Premier defends Usman Buzdar as scandals surround new Punjab CM, vows of indiscriminate accountability 
• Wants Pak-US relation on an equal basis 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that there will be a visible change in the country in terms of good governance as he urged media for constructive criticism after his government came under fire for multiple controversies as soon as it came into power.

“Clear change would be witnessed in next three months in terms of good governance,” he said while talking to a delegation of TV anchorpersons who called on him at Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad.

During the meeting, the premier said that whenever accountability initiates, certain elements start complaining that the democracy is now in danger. “Across-the-board accountability will be carried out at any cost,” he said, adding that it is imperative for the progress.  The PM also pointed out that Pakistan’s circular debts stands at Rs1.2 trillion and that progress would not be possible without accountability.

Commenting on his government’s much-hyped austerity campaign, PM Khan said he will not waste national resources on foreign visits like the former rulers of the country. “I will only make a foreign visit if it is in the benefit of the country,” he however vowed.

The prime minister also gave his two cents on his copter travels.

“I traveled to Banigala on the helicopter to save people from inconvenience,” he clarified.

Though, the PTI government has announced several measures to cut down the government’s expenditure and touted a simple living by the executive of the country, PM Khan has been under fire from various quarters for using an official helicopter to travel from PM House to his Banigala residence.

The new chief minister of Punjab, Usman Buzdar, who was appointed on the basis of his ‘humble background’ has also been in the eye of the storm lately for using official aircraft on his private visits.

Expressing his support for the Punjab CM, the PM said he is a “brave man”.

This is not the first time the PM stood for Buzdar. He also came to his defence when he was appointed to the post of the chiefministership.

Another controversy that had hit the PTI government in its nascence was the transfer of Pakpattan DPO Rizwan Gondal on August 27.

Regarding the issue related to the transfer, PM Khan said that the facts will soon be revealed as the top court had taken notice of the issue.

The DPO was ordered to relinquish his charge after he reportedly refused to apologise to Khawar Maneka, the former husband of Pakistan’s current first lady Bushra Imran, over an incident in which police officers had chased and intercepted his car after he sped away from a checkpoint.

Responding to another question, PM Khan said the government wished to improve ties with Washington on an equal basis. “The government won’t give in to unjust demand of the US.” Pakistan seeks peaceful relations with India, Afghanistan and Iran as well, he said. The relations between Pakistan and United States are at a lowest stage in recent past after US President Donald Trump came to power.

The US has repeatedly asked Pakistan to do more against alleged militant havens in the country. The issue was also discussed a first telephonic conversation between PM Khan and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, leading to a diplomatic tiff between the two countries.