LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said on Monday that PTI leaders should come out to protest with their families instead of using other’s children.
While addressing at a news conference, here on Monday, Azma remarked that the PTI is more dangerous than smog.
“While smog harms health, PTI is deadly for Pakistan’s economy,” she said. Talking about Pakistan’s economy, Azma Bokhari noted that our economy is finally standing on its feet after significant challenges.
“Politicizing economic news is unfortunate. Positive things regarding the economy has started to emerge. The stock exchange is setting records, inflation is down to single digits, and industries are beginning to recover,” she said.
Referring to a media report alleging a Rs 160 billion deficit, she called it baseless and clarified that the Punjab government had made no investments in the UAE. She stated that legal notices would be issued to journalists publishing factually incorrect stories.
She emphasised that Punjab is the only province expected to deliver a surplus budget of Rs 630 to Rs 680 billion by the end of this fiscal year.
“Punjab has already provided a Rs 40 billion surplus in the first quarter, and official documents verifying this are available on the Federal Ministry of Finance’s website. Even the IMF acknowledged that Punjab’s budget is not in deficit,” she added.
Highlighting the state of journalism, she commented, “In our country, creating sensational news is considered acceptable at any cost. Things that aren’t even mentioned in a story are turned into headlines. Baseless news stories are fabricated using unnamed sources, leaving one astonished.”
Azma Bokhari announced that the Punjab government is introducing a “Dialysis Card” for patients, providing up to Rs one million in dialysis facilities. Patients will also be able to use the card for medical tests. She mentioned that 25% to 30% of patients in Punjab come from other provinces for treatment, and this facility will also be available to them. “Dialysis patients will no longer have to wait. Modifications to the Sehat Card are underway, and it will be relaunched soon,” Azma said.
Criticising the PTI, she said, “The woman who once claimed to be apolitical is now acting as the founder’s messenger to the party. How can Bushra Bibi remove people from the party? What authority does she have? Aleema Baji and Bushra Bibi should decide who will lead the PTI.
Answering different queries, Azma Bukhari said, “Punjab MPAs recently visited the Peshawar, and those who once criticised us are now facing the consequences of their own actions. It is poetic justice.”
Regarding the chief minister’s medical leave, she stated, “If she took a week off for treatment after nine months of service, it was blown out of proportion unnecessarily. Would smog have reduced if Maryam Nawaz hadn’t gone to London?”
Referring to the US Capitol riots, she noted, “In the US, those who attacked Capitol Hill were sentenced to 14 years. Here, people who vandalized statues claim innocence and demand release.”
She maintained that the issue of the PTI founder’s release is an internal matter of Pakistan, and even the US has clarified its stance on this issue.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024