–Premier unhappy with ‘segments of bureaucracy and police loyal to previous regimes that are hindering implementation of PTI’s policies at administrative level’
–No NRO with Opp as accountability of plunderers will continue even if PTI risks losing its govt, PM makes it clear
–Says asking IMF for bailout not a problem, it’s the conditions that come with it that are making govt wary of loan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan lashed out at the political bureaucracy and police department for creating hurdles for his government at the administrative level.
Talking to a delegation of journalists who met him in Islamabad on Saturday, he said problems were being created at the administrative level to disrupt government’s functionary by the same people, who were appointed by the previous government.
He criticised segments of bureaucracy and police appointed by the previous regimes for creating hurdles for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
The prime minister elaborated that certain officers appointed by the previous government were involved in disrupting the policies of the government, however, he has the necessary patience to deal with such matters.
“I have come into power after 22 years of struggle and therefore have the patience necessary to deal with such matters,” he stated.
‘NO NRO’:
The premier said that the opposition’s hue and cry over the ongoing accountability process was an attempt to avoid arrests, adding that “they know that none of them would be able to come out clean in corruption cases”.
PM Khan said that the opposition had started making noise against the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) actions from the first session of parliament.
“The government has no direct links to NAB and corruption cases against the opposition leaders were not initiated during the three-month-old tenure of his party’s government.
“If the opposition leaders think that such protests and claims will result in an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance] for them then they are mistaken. We are standing by our announcement of bringing back the nation’s looted money and no one will be spared from accountability even if it put his government’s future at stake,” he added.
DEBT PROBLEM:
Explaining the debt problem faced by the country, PM Khan revealed that the foreign debt had increased to Rs 36 trillion during the tenure of the last government, adding that the country would go bankrupt if the PTI government does not borrow money in next two months.
Approaching the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout is not a problem but rather the conditions that come attached to it, Prime Minister Khan said. He, however, said that seeking an IMF bailout would be the last option for this government as other options are also being explored.
“We are getting positive messages from both Saudi Arabia and China. Both countries have already been approached for financial assistance,” he added.
Commenting on increasing electricity tariff, the prime minister said that the government had no other option as the circular debt has reached Rs1,200 billion. “Devaluing rupee was the only solution in current circumstances and the time will prove that these tough decisions were taken only on temporary basis,” he added.
He said, “The nation would have to suffer inflation for three years in order to bring financial stability to the country.”
