State's responsibility to stop horse-trading: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that corrupt people were trying to buy the conscience of members of Parliament using “looted” money, adding that it was the state's responsibility to stop that from happening, reported Aaj News.

“When corrupt and convicted people join hands to topple the government, use stolen money to buy off people [lawmakers], then it is the responsibility of the state to raise voice against this practice,” the premier said while addressing a large public gathering in Hafizabad.

PM Imran said that he did not join politics to see how tomatoes and potatoes were priced, adding that his aim was to unite Pakistanis as one nation.

He said that Pakistan’s respect declined after Quaid-e-Azam, as leaders that came after him did not know the purpose of the existence of the country.

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“That’s why I created the Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority because I wanted to build my nation’s character.”

Khan added that nations that deviate from their ideology and fail to fight injustice cannot make progress. “If we want to become a great nation, we need to support virtue,” he said.

He said that unless a nation stood united against corruption, injustices, and sex crimes, these forms of evils would continue to bulge, resulting in the degeneration of society.

European Union

The prime minister defended his criticism of the European Union over the Ukraine issue, saying that their letter was against the international norms of diplomacy.

Earlier this month, the European Union ambassadors in a joint letter had urged Pakistan to vote against Russia at the United Nations General Assembly.

PM Imran lashed out at the EU ambassadors during his Mailsi address last Sunday, asking if they had written a similar letter to India.

He also blasted the opposition leaders, especially Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, for criticising his decision.

“I know the psychology of the West. They do not respect people who bow to them. The governments in foreign countries respect me because they know I don’t have money stashed abroad,” he said.

PM Imran vowed that he would never bow to anyone, nor will he let his nation down, adding that Pakistan is receiving praise from foreign countries over the steps taken against the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and for poverty alleviation.

The prime minister reiterated that Pakistan wanted equal ties with all the countries.

“But as a prime minister of country with 220 million population, it is my first and foremost duty to protect their rights and interests of the country. I will not allow any policy which can inflict any harm to the motherland. I will not compromise upon the national interests just for seeking the pleasure of any country,” he stressed.

Drone attacks

The prime minister said during previous governments of PPP and PML-N, about 400 drone attacks were recorded inside Pakistan’s territory.

Pakistan had been fighting their war, but neither Zardari nor Sharif had the courage to condemn such blatant violations of the international laws and human rights, he regretted.

On the contrary, the prime minister said, he had always opposed those attacks, staged sit-ins, and gave statements in the United States and the United Kingdom, calling these attacks a grave violation of basic human rights and global principles.

Indian missile

Citing the recent Indian missile firing, he said Pakistan adopted a prudent approach. “Pakistan is a country that can defend itself. Pakistan is moving on the right path and its economy is set on the right course,” he added.

Development projects

Before arriving at the venue, PM Imran inaugurated various development schemes in Hafizabad including agriculture, and road projects worth billions of rupees.

Federal Ministers Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Shafqat Mehmood, and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also accompanied the Prime Minister.