Opposition parties trying to create anarchy in country, says Faraz

(Karachi) Information Minister Shibli Faraz has said the country's economy has revived and put on the path of development but regretted that the opposition parties are trying to create anarchy and spread panic in the country.

Flanked by other cabinet members, he addressed a news conference about the government's two years' performance in Islamabad on Wednesday.

Faraz stated that mafias and those facilitating them will not be spared at any cost. He said the nation faced a difficult period and all the conspiracies will be foiled through their support.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary said the government is making efforts to transform Pakistan into a manufacturing economy by promoting the logo of 'Made in Pakistan.

He said Pakistan has become one of the major exporters of Personal Protective Equipment in a matter of six months. He said currently Pakistan is producing 250 ventilators every month and this capacity will be enhanced to seven hundred in order to enable Pakistan become one of the few countries exporting this sophisticated machine.

Fawad mentioned, "Our target is to establish a special economic zone for electromagnetic industry in Sialkot and to enhance our exports of surgical items to $2 billion in one year time."

Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said protecting the human rights of different segments of the society is the central agenda of present government. She said her ministry has pursued a three pronged strategy for this purpose. This included implementation of existing laws, bringing new legislation and creating awareness amongst the people about their rights.

She stated, "It is the for the first time that we proscribed the child domestic labor whilst the bill against corporal punishment has also been prepared."

She said other bills including Christian Divorce and Marriage bill are currently in the discussion phase. We have also prepared a registry of sex offenders to curb this crime.

Mazari said concrete steps have also been taken so that the transgender community also get their due status in the society.

She said her ministry has also played its part in highlighting the blatant human rights violations in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. She said she has also written a letter to the UN Human Rights Commissioner about the situation in the occupied territory.

Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda said the PTI government has launched long-term mega water projects to address the country's water related issues.

He said work has been started on Dasu, Mohmand, Diamer Bhasha dams. He said transparency has been ensured in all the projects and details of the projects have also been shared with the NAB. He said the government is also constructing 112 small dams in the country.

Minister for Maritime affairs Ali Zaidi said that the private sector will get advantage from the new shipping policy.

He said, " We are planning to digitalize the land of the Port Qasim which will be landmark initiative of the government."

He said that due to the new policies of the incumbent government, international companies are approaching to work with us.