Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday chalked out his strategy for massive reforms in all the sectors particularly in Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to widen the tax net, ending foreign borrowing and putting the country's sinking economy back on track.
In his first address to the nation after taking oath as the 22nd Prime Minister, Khan particularly stressed on steering the country out of the prevailing economic crises by taking austerity measures, cutting government expenditures - a challenge for which a 'task force' headed by noted economist Dr Ishrat Hussain has started working under a comprehensive plan.
"Never in Pakistan's history we faced such difficult economic circumstances...Our debt burden is Rs 28 trillion. We haven't been as indebted in our entire history as we have been in the last 10 years", he said while referring to the economic challenges and the ways to deal with them. He said the interest that country had to pay on foreign debt reached a level that "we have to borrow more just to repay the interest rate on the foreign loans we had taken before".
"Our external debt obligations have reached a level that we've to contemplate how we're going to grapple with them. On one hand, we are so indebted while on the other, our human development index ranking is in the doldrums," he lamented.
He vowed to bring back the looted money and asked the nation to help him out in the crackdown against the mafias who have stashed national wealth in foreign banks through illegal means but staying in Pakistan to rule over the nation.
"The corrupt mafias will definitely make a hue and cry under the pretext of threat to democracy, and use all other options including taking to the streets when we will launch a crackdown on them. You have to stand by me and become my team", he said, in an obvious reference to Asif Zardari and Nawaz Shairf who are facing graft cases.
He continued that he decided to retain the portfolio of interior ministry with himself to tighten the noose around the elements involved in money laundering and other illegal means. "A high-powered task force will be constituted to identify the people who have sent money abroad billions of dollars abroad as US State Department has said that $10 billion are being laundered from Pakistan every year," he added.
Declaring FBR as the most corrupt institution, he said after restructuring the board, he himself would keep an eye that the taxpayers' money is spent in the right way and is not being stolen. He particularly stressed on the need to build more dams in the country, vowing that Diamer-Basha Dam will be built at all costs.
He said an special office will be set up at PM House that will be responsible for resolving the issues faced by overseas Pakistanis interested to invest in the country. At the same time, he appealed overseas Pakistanis to keep their money in Pakistani banks, as well as send dollars to Pakistan through banking sector, as the country is in dire need of dollars.
Prime Minister Khan outlined the deficiencies in healthcare sector, saying: "We are unfortunately among the five countries where infant mortality due to unclean water resources is highest." He promised to create opportunities for boosting small medium industry in the country, and to remove all the hurdles. He told that all the heads of the neighbouring countries had spoken to him and his government would want to have good relations with the neighbouring countries.
About the Pakistani prisoners languishing in foreign prisons, he said he would issue immediate orders to Pakistani missions abroad to resolve their problems due to which they have been sent to jails.
The PM Khan said a whistle blowers act which had been passed by the previous government of his party from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, will be sailed through the National Assembly, adding whoever identify corruption in any department, he will be given 25 percent from the total amount.
About the corrupt bureaucracy, he said a massive civil service reform will be introduced, as Dr Ishrat Hussain has already been given the task to start working on it. The local government system will be top most priority of his government, as this is the only way to turn the destiny of the country besides eradicating the menace of corruption. He also announced direct elections for District Nazim.
About Punjab police which is thought to be the most corrupt police, will undergo a complete overhauling as former inspector general Nasir Khan Durrani will be appointed as the adviser to accomplish the gigantic task. He also said Sindh police will also be made a model police as federal government will speak to Sindh government for bringing the reforms in police department.
About Balochistan crisis, he said all estranged Baloch leaders will be brought to the table to resolve the issue. He reiterated that Southern Punjab province has become inevitable as 12 crore Punjab could not be managed from Lahore.
He said the top anti-graft body National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will be made an all time powerful institution, saying he would hold a meeting with NAB chief and provide him all assistance and manpower to go for across the board accountability.
Khan said he would also hold a meeting with Chief Justice of Pakistan to introduce reforms in the justice system in a bid to end the backlog and ensuring speedy justice. Khan said the government will pay special attention to boost agriculture research, and help the farmers, so that they would not have to import seeds from India.
The prime minister said development in formerly Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) will be undertaken on war footing as the areas have been destroyed due to war. He said the National Action Plan (NAP) which is a consensus programme of all political parties to root out the menace of terrorism and militancy, will be given special attention to implement the 20 points. He promised to declare education emergency in the country, as no country can compete in comity of the world without quality education.
About his decision not to live at PM House, he said he would reside in a three bedrooms house of his military secretary and keep only two servants and two cars. "I wanted to live at Bani Gala but could not due to security reasons," he added.
He said he would auction all the expensive cars used by the former prime ministers who used to live a luxurious lifestyle while a poor man could not make both ends meet. He said a special attention would be paid to promote tourism industry, besides constructing beaches to attract tourists as we have places which we can utilize to generate income.
He said that he would expend his billion tree tsunami campaign across the country to bring a green revolution and thwart the threat posed to the country due to global warming. PM Khan said special attention will be paid to sort out the issue of disposing of the garbage issue which has defaced the country, besides polluting the environment.
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