ISLAMABAD: The government said on Tuesday that it had been striving to get the economy back on track, and there were clear signs of improvement in economic indicators, whereas, inflation was sliding while wheat and sugar prices had fallen. This was stated by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz after the cabinet meeting during a briefing to the media.
He said that when the government had imposed limited restriction in some areas, school, marriage halls etc, to save the economy and protect the people from the second wave of coronavirus, opposition was totally insensitive to the criticality of the situation.
The minister said the opposition parties had promoted a culture of land mafia and left the economy in a bad shape, and the present government wanted to get rid of the status quo. The political parties who have "backstabbed" each other in the past have joined hands against the present government, he added.
The minister said the coronavirus cases were increasing in the country, and so was pressure on hospitals. Doing away with the adverse impacts, and saving the economy constitute a collective responsibility.
"We request the people not to take it lightly," he said, adding "the government is trying to improve economic activities, which will create jobs". According to him, sugar and wheat prices have come down. Wheat prices could have come down further, if the Sindh government had cooperated, he added.
He said two new cities were going to be constructed, while two new dams were under the process of construction, which would also generate employment. Faraz said a democratic government could only be removed through a democratic way, and asked the opposition to wait for the next three or eight years.
He said the government could not be forced to resign by holding rallies, and added that the opposition was out for its own interests, and there was nothing for a common man in their agenda. Underscoring the need for taking the second wave of coronavirus, he seriously, requested the people, especially of Lahore, not to be manipulated by the opposition's "lies".
He said that what they had done to the country during their tenures would take 10 to 15 years to recover. The basis of their politics is "lies", and money is their faith, he said.
"They invite people to attend weddings and write on the wedding cards that everyone should come with their corona test result but they ask people to come out to attend their rallies without realising that public gatherings can cause spread of the pandemic," he said, adding "they are ready to use any undemocratic means to remove a democratic government". These people are "political refugees", their goal is to come to power for the purpose of the benefit of their businesses.
Regarding opposition's plan of en-mass resignations, he asked the opposition members do whatever they want to do once corona is over. The minister questioned as to what Maulana Fazlur Rehman has done for the Kashmir issue and for Islam being in the power and as the chairman of Kashmir Committee.
He further said that the prime minister raised Kashmir issue on international forums. The prime minister adopted a rational policy on the Kashmir issue at the international level. PM also raised Islamophobia in a rational manner, he added.
"We are not trying to save the government at the moment; we are trying to save the country," he said.
He said that it is quite an accomplishment that Afghanistan president talked about Pakistan's efforts and praised them. The minister while referring to Maryam Nawaz stated that "today, the daughter of a fugitive criminal is lecturing us, threatening us.
The opposition does not want the institutions to be sanctified and the institutions to stand on their own, the minister said, and added that they gave jobs on the basis of nepotism, recommendations, and bribery".
"It was during their regimes that the institutions were paralyzed and nepotism was promoted," he said, and added the opposition parties do not want Pakistan move in the right direction.
He, however, made it clear that no 'NRO' will be given to the corrupt leaders. Faraz said the opposition cannot "blackmail" the government through pressure tactics. He, however, said "we are ready to hold negotiations with them on the issues faced by the country".
Faraz further said the country at present has a sufficient inventories of oxygen cylinders, adding that the provincial governments have been directed to maintain sufficient reserves of oxygen cylinders. The cabinet meeting also reviewed economic and political situation in the country.
The meeting also expressed concern over opposition's public gathering, despite the fact of rapid increase in coronavirus cases in the country, after the meeting was given a briefing by Dr Faisal Sultan. Dr Sultan told the meeting that coronavirus second wave is proving disastrous for the country as 89 deaths were recorded in a day. He said that increase in coronavirus cases were recorded in almost in every city.
The prime minister has taken notice of the oxygen situation in the hospitals, and directed that every hospital should be provided adequate quantity of oxygen, and all the hospitals in this regard devise a mechanism, Faraz said. The minister for industries informed the meeting that oxygen manufacturing companies had assured that in case of emergency, hospitals would be provided required quantity of oxygen.
At present, there is three-time higher demand of oxygen in the country, the meeting was informed. The cabinet gave approval to appointment of chairman and executive director State Life Insurance Corporation, and cabinet also approved giving Rs2,500 monthly MPhil allowance to those personnel of armed forces who had HEC certified degree of MPhil or those who would get it in the future.
Civil servants are already availing this facility. The Ministry of Finance presented to the federal cabinet the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) consolidated financial report of federal and provincial governments for the fiscal year 2014-15 to 2017-18.
The meeting also gave approval to the allocation of provincial quota in dentistry department of Shaheed Zulifkar Ali Bhutto Medical University. The federal cabinet also approved restructuring of board of directors of six distribution companies - Faisalabad, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Hyderabad, and Quetta - to improve their performance.
The cabinet gave approval to the induction of local representatives as the boards of directors of these DISCOs. The meeting allowed private airlines, Serene Air and Air Blue, as per the 2019 Aviation Policy for operation of international flights in more countries.
The cabinet gave approval to posting of additional secretary Ministry of Maritime, Nadir Mumtaz as chairman in Karachi Port Trust on additional charge for a period of three months. An appointment of Shakeel Ahmed as chairman National Shipping Corporation was granted approval by the federal cabinet.
Minister for IT Aminul Haque of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) reportedly raised the issue of missing persons, and stated his party's worker's death happened under mysterious circumstances. Upon this, the prime minister directed Minister for Interior to look into the matter.
Haque raised the point that his party had not been taken confidence over Karachi Transformation Plan; upon which, the prime minister assured him that the MQM would be invited to the next meeting. Replying to a question about restructuring of PIA and PTV, the minister said that the government was determined to make the PTV a profit-making entity, and as far as transferring employees was concerned, he said it was a cost saving technique and the way engineering wing is in Karachi and cruise is in Islamabad, the operation department has been shifted. Those who will avail the opportunity of golden handshake will be given all legal dues.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020