Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the government can cut the development budget for meeting all the requirements of internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). "The government is fully cognisant of the needs of IDPs and will look after them", he said while speaking at the 14th PTV Awards ceremony at PAF Museum here on Thursday night.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat- ul- Ebad Khan, CM Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, and Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira were also present on the occasion. The Prime Minister said the government cares for the people who were displaced due to war on terror in northern Pakistan. "The people of Malakand and Swat are our guests and we are ready to give every sacrifice for them because they are our benefactor", he added.
He said that Pakistan would emerge as a strong nation after going through this period. "There will be time that every child will have the facility of education and health-care and there will be sufficient infrastructure in the country. They will be provided with all these facilities at their doorstep", he maintained. He also appealed to the people to generously donate whatever they can for their brethren. "I appeal to you to feel about your sisters, brothers, sons and daughters and contribute your share through donations", the PM said.
Gilani said that extreme action was inevitable against the militants and terrorists, who had challenged the writ of the government in northern areas and slaughtered people, blew up schools, disgraced women, and formed a parallel government. "We had no option except to take extreme action against these elements who had created a state within the state", he noted.
The Prime Minister said that these evil elements were eating the country's vitals like termites. We have to unite the nation so that we should feel proud of being called as Pakistanis, he observed. "We do not want the people are divided. We want to make Pakistan as a nation," Prime Minister Gilani said. He said that the government believed in the freedom of the Press, which was in our manifesto and we would welcome constructive and positive criticism.
"I allow PTV to pin point the government's short comings and make constructive criticism on the government so that we can rectify any mistakes, Yousuf Raza Gilani said. He congratulated PTV for presenting family programme and dramas, which have no parallel in South Asia. Earlier, Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that these displaced persons were shelterless in their own country. These people are looking towards the nation because they are fighting our war.
He said that PTV has always discharged its national duty and is presenting all the facts on war on terror and IDPs in front of the nation as well as the world. He also appealed the nation to come forward and help IDPs as the nation did at the time of earthquake in 2005. "This is our own war and a war of our survival and we have to win this war. The government is aware of the evil designs of anti state elements and we will defeat them", the Federal Information Minister added. Earlier, the Prime Minister and Information Minister presented awards to the winners.