Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeks a review of the National Action Plan (NAP), for which he has ordered a meeting of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) immediately, disclosed Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday.
He has directed the Interior Ministry to review NAP in collaboration with all the provinces and NACTA, and devise a comprehensive plan to curb terrorism, she added. Speaking about former prime minister Imran Khan, Marriyum Aurangzeb said that he had been harping on the so-called “conspiracy letter” in order to cover up his “nil performance” in his four years in power.
“He (Imran) has been waving the conspiracy paper as he has nothing to his credit on account of his government’s performance,” she told a media briefing. Imran Khan, she said, had been telling lies persistently, but the people of Pakistan would not pay any heed to them and rather oust him from politics forever. The former prime minister is perturbed over the popularity of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who would make the lives of people easy through his commitment to the service of the nation, the minister said.
She said Imran Khan thinks he is still in the government. “For negative economic growth rate, Imran should have tendered his resignation, but he instead asked the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to quit,” Marriyum said while adding that the politics of Imran Khan would not last long “as the coalition government has already started performing excellently”, with the prices of essential items coming down. The Metro Bus project from Peshawar Mor to the new Islamabad Airport remained dysfunctional for the last four years, but it was activated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within four days of taking the oath of office, she added.
The minister said instead of threatening the Election Commission of Pakistan, Imran better answer the public’s questions about the shortage of power, the increase in the prices of sugar, flour and other items. She said Imran Khan had framed cases against the leading politicians but not a single one had been proved in any court of law so far. “He would have to answer for his failure to recover the stolen money despite the best efforts of his so-called Asset Recovery Unit headed by Shahzad Akbar,” Marriyum said.
The minister said that Imran had made the people’s lives miserable by increasing the prices of essential items. The minister said the cabinet has directed a review of the Civil Servants (Directory Retirement from Service) Rules. The aim of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government was to target officers, she said, adding that the cabinet has decided to review all such laws framed for the peculiar purposes. The Power Division and Petroleum Division officials briefed the cabinet about the latest situation of power and diesel in the country. It was told that 27 power plants were closed when the incumbent government assumed charge.
The minister blamed the ousted PTI government for increased power outages. As the closed power units are being repaired, load shedding would be eliminated by next month, she announced. To a question, the minister said the former government inducted its workers in various departments and the law would take its due course against the looters and plunderers. The coalition government, she said, believes in the freedom of expression and would work for the welfare of journalists.
