Federal Minister for Defence Production Sardar Abdul Qayyum Jatoi said here Tuesday that country's nuclear program will not be rolled back and minimum deterrence will be maintained at all costs. Addressing a press conference at the local airport he said that Pakistan's defence was in safe hands and it will be strengthened further.
"Our missile program, aimed at defence of the motherland, will also continue" he said adding that the country's defence production will increase to earn foreign exchange. To a question the minister said although South Punjab was rich in agricultural resources it was deprived of basic necessities of life like quality education and quality health facilities.
He was of the view that the only way to end its deprivations was to make it a province. About Local Government system Abdul Qayyum Jatoi said that it had miserably failed to deliver.
"It had ruined the administrative apparatus, so it must be abolished forthwith" he contended. Commenting on current economic situation, he said the PPP government is capable to resolve the problems of price hike, unemployment, education, health, power shortage and inadequate communication facilities. "A change will be visible soon" he remarked. Replying to another question the minister said that the PPP-PML (N) partnership should continue in the overall national interest.
The Minister said that a separate federating unit is necessary to resolve the problems of southern Punjab. Because Punjab is the biggest federating unit which alone cannot resolve the problems of the people from Attock to Rahim Yar Khan. The Minister said that this allegation of consuming all resources of country would also be dissolved. He said that problems of unemployment, education and health were increasing day by day.
He said the local bodies system proved a complete failure which had destroyed the administrative infra-structure besides adding to the problems. Earlier, when he arrived at the airport first time after becoming the federal minister the party workers profusely garlanded him. He was welcomed by hundreds of PPP activists outside the airport, which presented a festive look. MNA Jamshed Ahmed Dasti showered rose petals when they came out of the VIP lounge.