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Former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday raised questions over the new government's capability to fulfil the promises made by Prime Minister Imran Khan in his maiden address to the nation.
"Imran Khan has promised [the nation] the heavens," Iqbal said while addressing a press conference in the federal capital. "[But] he does not have a compact strategy."
The PML-N leader said he was "surprised" after listening to PM Khan's address to the nation, broadcast last night.
Mocking him as the "prime minister-select", Iqbal stressed that PM Khan did not have any political experience.
Also read: Prime Minister Khan asks nation to have compassion for poor, adopt austerity
"Imran Khan's first [political] experiment is the PM Office," the former minister said, worrying that the new government was "inexperienced and lacked expertise in political matters".
"This experimentation will cost Pakistan," Iqbal warned.
The PML-N leader further complained that PM Khan's cabinet was "the same as that of former president Pervez Musharraf". He also expressed his concern about the fate of the projects started by the previous government.
Terming last month's general elections as the "most rigged polls in history", the PML-N leader said that his party had only become a part of the parliament "for the sake of democracy".
Iqbal also criticised PM Khan's decision to keep the interior ministry under him, stressing that the country needs a "full-time interior minister". He also recalled PM Khan's criticism of the Nawaz-led government for not appointing a foreign minister for more than four years.
He then blamed the prime minister for not announcing how many "megawatts [of electricity] he planned to generate in the next five years".
"Imran Khan did not promise [to start] any development project in Karachi. It would have been good if he would have announced a desalination plant project," he added.
The PML-N leader also wondered why PM Khan did not mention the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), saying that by not doing so the prime minister has "cast doubts".
"The anti-CPEC lobbies are trying hard day and night to cause harm to the project," said Iqbal, adding that Pakistan "did not have a debt crisis because of CPEC", which was "China's gift to the people of Pakistan".
Iqbal also pointed out that PM Khan had not spoken about the measures he would take to counter terrorism in the country, which was something he claimed that the "nation wanted to hear".
He then claimed that the previous government — of which he was a member — had wiped out terrorism in five years.
"The challenges that we had to face in 2013 are not present now."
Iqbal also accused the newly formed government of having a "one-point agenda" and a "Nawaz-phobia" that prompted PM Khan to "check [the former premier's] expenditures" after coming to power.
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Comments (98) Closed
Aug 20, 2018 08:39pm
Relax Ahsan Shb, atleast give him some time
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Aug 20, 2018 08:39pm
We the people are sure the new govt.'s "experiments" will cost us far less than the 30 years of experience cost us. The mess that you guys created has to be cleaned first so please let them do their job as you couldn't do yours properly Mr. Iqbal...!
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Aug 20, 2018 08:43pm
Ahsan sahab you had your chance, and with experience we have seen your progress, now let us see progress without experience and then we will decide accordingly.
If you were better, will vote you back. BUT, we need not to be dictated by you ATM, Almighty has given us ability to observe and decide ourselves.
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Aug 20, 2018 08:47pm
Stop mourning and have a patience, and your government had five years and your so called mastermind Nawaz Sharif only looted public money and did very little for ordinary people. Give Imran Khan a chance and he will take care of poor people and produce results in the future.
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Aug 20, 2018 08:49pm
If the new government is able to broaden the tax base and plug in mega corruption , it would have more than enough resources to fulfill the promises PM Imran Khan made in his speech. Opposition should not jump the guns please.
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Aug 20, 2018 08:54pm
I agree with you, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal with regard to IK's pledges but would you like to tell the readers what useful and worthwhile was done by your government when in power.
In my view PML-N government brought the country on the verge of bankruptcy and its leaders while making massive assets for themselves created equally massive liabilities for Pakistan.
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Aug 20, 2018 08:54pm
Look who’s talking!!
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Aug 20, 2018 08:55pm
You took 30 years to bring us to the state this country is in at present and you want the new PM to give you all the future plans in 2 days time.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:00pm
Mr. Ahsan Iqbal! Please do not be sore loser because you have not been part of the government. Obviously, the people of Narowal think well you. But Imran Khan wants to treat the ailments of the society and not just build the infrastructure where the corrupt contractors and the bureaucrats make hefty commission money.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:03pm
The address was to focus on basic issues of Pakistan which you never addressed during your 10 years of shareef rule :)..... Plus can you please list down your achievements as interior minister as well as development minister? Please atleast list 1 :)..
Plus he is been elected by people of Pakistan. You guys always win from central punjab and this time even central punjab also rejected you.
Hope this answers your illogical questions
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Aug 20, 2018 09:11pm
Question your own party Mr Iqbal. We are a nuclear power, yet people are drinking water that is not fit for animals. What has your party achieved in decades of rule? Always point to others, that's your answer to everything. PTI will be answerable for their deeds when the time is right.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:13pm
By the token of rigging he garnered 155k votes... so he himself rigged his win... ???
Regarding promises AHSAN IQBAL .... wake up or pm is IK who will promise what hee can deliver... he will not big and give false hopes... of course her will try to generate electricity sufficient enough to stop loadshedding.
But you get ready for stopping coal plant ... corruption in electricity is chasing you... so get ready.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:14pm
Ahsan Iqbal is the most incompetent man i have ever seen. And seeing this type of man questioning is laughable.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:14pm
for the kind information of Ahsan Iqbal , politics is not a profession it’s the service to the nation if you have good and clean heart you can conquer experience do want matter, we have seen the experience of PML-N and PPP of looting taxpayer money. We are better off without experience and I am convinced that within 5 years Pakistan will be on prosperity.Ameen
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Aug 20, 2018 09:15pm
There is going to be a lot of criticism in coming days and interestingly it will come from the same people who failed to deliver. How about sharing some wisdom with "in-experienced" PM? Did N-league have a roadmap for 5 years they were in the office. Read the history; Nawaz kept several ministries under himself for a long time. Stop drawing straws. Five billion dollars borrowed from IMFare gone and Nawaz also did not share any information on the CPEC terms. What are the terms of the loan? Why did Nawaz not share the loan's agreement's details with public? IK should not make promises about electricity production until he figures out how much subsidized oil purchased for electricity production is being sold in black market. He also needs to figure out why the plants are not working even though brand new machineries exist and parts have been bought several times.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:16pm
Ahsen Iqbal stop criticizing even Khan has not started the work. Critisizing the PTI govt before they start working. Instead of giving blessing started critism.
Now my advise to Iqbal go home & let the people work. PMLN govt has looted lot of nation money, First let the PTI Govt recover & do not make any obstickle. Lot of PMLN minsters will be in jail. The govt will investigate what assets & bank accounts they have in 2013 & what they have at present. They have to explain all of these things
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Aug 20, 2018 09:18pm
sometimes, I wonder how satisfactorily these politicians accuse each other!!!
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Aug 20, 2018 09:21pm
What is the point of announcing Projects and initiatives which you will never fulfill? Like the previous Government, I think it will be better for formal interior Minister to perform a lesson learn exercise from their Governments mistakes and try not to repeat these mistakes if and when they get re-elected in next 5yrs. In the meantime just Shut Up and let the people elected government to work their policies.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:24pm
We all saw how your team governed the country. You have no merit or qualification to question new government's capabilities. Even on their worst day, they will do better than you.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:27pm
can sense jealousy.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:34pm
I guess Ahsan Iqbal wanted to watch a 2 hr long address by PM.
Imran Khan touched on enough points that are bigger than megawatts of power and number of development projects.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:40pm
Ahsan Iqbal is running out of things to cry and complain about, IK did in fact mention desalination plants for Karachi as part of initiatives for providing clean water and he has mentioned how CPEC is important for Pakistan. Political differences in opinion are all acceptable and everyone's right, however making yourself look like a fool by making baseless arguments is just down right embarrassing.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:44pm
MR. Ehsan Iqbal...We have seen your experienced govt for 30 yrs. NOW give chance to new govt. And cooperate for better Pakistan.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:45pm
MW of electricity....really now....is that what being PM is all about?
What a silly thing to say, Mr Iqbal. By all means go after PTI to keep them honest but MW of electricity?! And, what if he doubles the MWs....who is going to pay for them? Ever heard of CIRCULAR DEBT, Mr Iqbal? Know why it keeps ballooning? Of course, not.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:46pm
Don't worry Ehsan Iqbal. Imran Khan will prove to be far better then Corruption Mafias PML-N and PPP.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:47pm
yeh PLMN took 30 year and still could not deliver, and now they think everyone is like them. This is first day of PTI in govrnement, wait 5 before you judge! This is a mess of 70 years in making and it cannot be fixed over night. PLMN and PP had their fair share of fixing Pakistan's problem and they badly failed.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:47pm
For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a Prime Minister has clearly identified the most critical real issues facing the common man of Pakistan, many of which are monumental. And I have faith in IK and his team's sincerity in making a full fledged effort to try and resolve these issues. On the contrary, it was quite apparent from PML-N's performance that they did not feel the need for nor showed any interest in identifying and resolving the most critical issues facing the people. Although it is understandable PML-N will not want to help IK and PTI try and resolve the issues, my humble request to PML-N is to not create roadblocks for them.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:48pm
Now cheaters are going to be the champion of the opposition. When will we get the break from them.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:52pm
I think ahshan Iqbal is frustrated by seeing imran khan as pm.
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Aug 20, 2018 09:59pm
Rotay raho! Ab dam banay ga, dam!
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Aug 20, 2018 10:01pm
At least IK will not loot billions like Nawaz Sharif clan did Yes IK is inexperienced but he is the only one who talked about the number of children out of school
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Aug 20, 2018 10:03pm
Mr. Iqbal. You should be ashamed of saying "Imran Khan has no political experience". It is good to know that he is not corrupt like you guys.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:06pm
Even if the elections were rigged, It could NOT have been rigged by Imran Khan. It is stupid to blame a person who had no authority. If PML-N has axe to grind they should blame and accuse the person responsible or shut up.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:08pm
So much hurry, what about your white paper spreading over 15 years..?!
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Aug 20, 2018 10:09pm
He is in so much hurry to ask for Mega watts, like they have given so many Mega watts to Pakistan.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:09pm
How about these concerns when PMLN was in power and never delivered anything substantial, other than over budgeted roads?
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Aug 20, 2018 10:10pm
AI,
You are right to question. This is an agenda that should have been started decades ago (by your lot and others). Let IK make a start as may be it will take three or four terms of PTInto accomplish it.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:11pm
Really, how about your show your own scorecard which is full of loot, loot and only loot. You have no room to talk about new government as they already made significant improvements and have the vision for this great country.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:15pm
Atleast for starters there are no Iqama holders in the cabinet!!!
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Aug 20, 2018 10:16pm
Mr Ahsan Iqbal, your government was in power since last 5 years. You were not brave enough to tell us your shahi kharchis....so kindly keep quiet and let them work. Your tenure is over and it was really disappointing.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:16pm
Failed leaders with failed thoughts
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Aug 20, 2018 10:24pm
These are just allegations, on the first day ahsan Iqbal expect electricity in megawatts, what you have done for electricity in last five years.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:28pm
Ahsan saan hum par aik ahasaan karain aur please 5 saal kay liay apna moon TV say door rakhain. Sab nay bohot jhoot sun liay app kay aur app ki PMLN kay
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Aug 20, 2018 10:33pm
Mr. Iqbal has the guts to question PTI. He did nothing but travel all over the world at govt expense.
PML N looted the people of Pakistan. Mr. Iqbal should be sent to Adiala till he returns all the looted money.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:41pm
PTI will succeed as there will be no comprises with looters.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:48pm
The less you comment the better it is for you Mr. Ehsan Iqbal. Why did you not ask these questions to your then party chief Nawaz Sharif. Most of your questions are senseless.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:55pm
Please Ahsan Iqbal have patience. It’s just 2 days and you expect a change. PM Imran Khan has no Aladdin Lamp, Ofcourse the most recent example of Greece is
in front, how it adopted austerity measures and revive its economy. By the way Mr Ahsan Iqbal, why Pak facing economic crunch, and trade deficit, even after shipments both imports & exports in full swing at Gwadar Port, did you set some mechanism to save the transit fees, the people wish to see the balance sheets and Profit & Loss Statements regarding revenue generating from CPEC & Gwadar.
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Aug 20, 2018 10:56pm
So what if he didn’t mention how many megawatts electricity he will generate. What happened your government promises of electricity and load shedding? You made promises but nothing was done. CPEC is China gift?
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Aug 20, 2018 10:59pm
People of GB suffered huge losses at the hands of this MIT graduate when he declared the GB grown potatoes unhealthy. He was the agri minister in NS first federal government then.
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Aug 20, 2018 11:23pm
Things can only get better mr Iqbal, they cant get any worse so need to worry.
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Aug 20, 2018 11:24pm
You dont meed to worry, things are already better.
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Aug 20, 2018 11:26pm
CPEC is China's gift to the people of Pakistan? What a joke
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Aug 20, 2018 11:30pm
Comments by a failed PPP MNA, take a hike you are part of the corrupt party. You should be investigated
Next by NAB.
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Aug 20, 2018 11:32pm
Please keep quiet Mr Iqbal and let the PM do his job. You had your turn four times but your accomplishments are debt, debt and debt.
Maybe when they were teaching about debt in economics at Wharton you were absent that day.
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Aug 20, 2018 11:37pm
This shows PML-N has successfully achieved it's top targets i.e eradication of terrorism and load shedding as they are no more the priority of new government.
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Aug 20, 2018 11:47pm
PML-N has has not credibility and their criticism of Imran doesn’t carry any weight
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Aug 20, 2018 11:53pm
How about giving IK a chance, you had 30 years to prove your worth, masses finally rejected you.
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Aug 21, 2018 12:07am
Look who is talking. Stay quite Pls for a while. IK may be inexperienced but he has a will to do something for nation.
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Aug 21, 2018 12:09am
These guys cannot defend the personal performance of their own 3 time PM, who needed written words to say a few words in Obama's presence. And they question someone who has not been a PM for three years. I do not know who would succeed in the coming battle of the elitists and the commoners. But the likes of Ahsan Iqbal would do everything to prevent the rise of the common man.
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Aug 21, 2018 12:11am
What are you even talking about Ahsan Iqbal ? When your party was in power what did you guys do apart from thieving from the tax payers.
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Aug 21, 2018 12:16am
please do not worry about PTI anymore and keep this in mind what did N do in last 5 years? o i know corruption!
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Aug 21, 2018 12:27am
Buss kar Yara!
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Aug 21, 2018 12:31am
One thing is sure that Imran Khan is not corrupt and he will never patronise corruption.So our support is for the leader who is not corrupt.You continue to support those leaders who know how to rule but are corrupt.
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Aug 21, 2018 12:56am
Did your government fulfill any?
NS was only obsessed with Metros and Motorways and nothing else. He concealed the true status of country's finances and dismal economic health. Yet he lived like a king. IK has already shown what he can or cannot do.
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Aug 21, 2018 01:00am
Ahsan Iqbal is highly qualified to find fault with everything.Soon the entire PMLN will have an egg on their face. Imran khan will succeed InshaAllah as he has one great quality HONESTY which PPP and PMLN lacked.
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Aug 21, 2018 01:05am
Look who is talking. One how can’t provide clear picture of CPEC. Did PMLN had any plan for repayment of loans for these projects.
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Aug 21, 2018 01:06am
They haven't formed a government yet. What's your problem?
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Aug 21, 2018 01:28am
that's you.
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Aug 21, 2018 01:28am
Listen to this Ibne-Bathootha ... True Patwari & Darbari
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Aug 21, 2018 01:31am
@Haider if you write it for another ten years you may be able to pick up a medal.
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Aug 21, 2018 01:33am
His master's voice. These slaves will never change.
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Aug 21, 2018 01:41am
Ahsan, you being from rejected party, do not have any right to question PM Imran Khan like this. This is jelousy.
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Aug 21, 2018 02:09am
Reading the comments by the new generation of Pakistanis in the comment section.
I can only say one thing. Pakistanis have woken up and people like Ahsan Iqbal, Zardari and Nawaz shariff will not rule them.
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Aug 21, 2018 02:28am
@Farhan Remember Ai Martial Nur Khan who turned the fortunes of PIA and sports by doing just one simple thing, appointment on merit. People say Imran has taken 40% Urdu speaking in his ministry. No, he has taken people on merit.
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Aug 21, 2018 02:38am
@Observer - Canada Ofcourse they should, it is Imran's style.
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Aug 21, 2018 02:55am
Retire for next 5 years to your Saudi security guard Ikama. Let an honest leader in pakistan, fulfil his vision.
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Aug 21, 2018 02:56am
Who can listen to any man, who followed a corrupt leader with huge purchases abroad and no teail of funds.
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Aug 21, 2018 04:05am
Chinese proverb: The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.
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Aug 21, 2018 04:07am
Keep questioning..
No way he can build and sustain a cancer hospital in a country like Pakistan. Impossible to fix police and schools in a dangerous tribal area like KPK. Planting billion trees is impossible. Cant touch ruling elite like Sharif or Zardari.
5 lakh houses? million jobs? not possible!
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Aug 21, 2018 04:47am
Mr. Iqbal, why don't you talk about the promises your leader and party made and never fulfilled.
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Aug 21, 2018 04:48am
@A.Ali You can write in Urdu, it is not necessary to write in English, we all understand our langue.
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Aug 21, 2018 05:24am
Ahsan Iqbal just SHUT UP mate!
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Aug 21, 2018 05:54am
The irony is that you are so restless from day one and unable to wait even for a week to compare. You took it for granted and never imagined this day. This is only the blessing of Almighty, otherwise you were on course for complete destruction.
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Aug 21, 2018 06:05am
Well it will take some time to clear the mess created by previous rulers using tax payers money and not giving them any thing back. These crooks need black water treatment. They must have enjoyed their time at taxpayers money..isn't it so...
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Aug 21, 2018 06:15am
Good that IK does not have the same experience that
PML-N has. They were good at looting money and getting
Loans.
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Aug 21, 2018 06:58am
IK is planning to bring large denomination currency note ban on 15 th September. All be cautious.
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Aug 21, 2018 07:20am
Give them time, its just been 24 hours since the speech and inshallah, you will lose your seat in next election. That is why Ahsan Iqbal, you sound worried.
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Aug 21, 2018 07:28am
Mr Iqbal just read the comments and see where you stand today because of your govts terrible performance. Plz don't mislead the public. Public is wise enough to compare the performance and decide accordingly. Let the new govt work.
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Aug 21, 2018 07:53am
@Arsalan
A very fair response. Thumbs up to you bro...
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Aug 21, 2018 08:02am
Yes, inshaAllah it will cost all corrupt people a lot.
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Aug 21, 2018 08:24am
More reasons to hate and curse PML N.
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Aug 21, 2018 08:28am
@Yawar abdul rehman -- Leaders?? Looters is the term for these people
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Aug 21, 2018 08:33am
@amin CPEC is a gift to Nawaz. Let us see what comes to light about the CPEC deal. I am afraid Nawaz might have sold Pakistani land to China (hope not).
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Aug 21, 2018 09:41am
No one is born with experience.
People have forgiven you all after your serious mistakes and failures so, why wouldn't they forgive to new government if in the end they fail.
Democracy never says only family wise trained people should become leaders. Whether he succeeds or not, one thing is surely good that reign of family and their favorite have been defeated and this trend will prevail sooner or later.
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Aug 21, 2018 12:59pm
He again kept on speaking about building motorways , roads and cpec. How to build a nation is important and that is done by investing on Education and health . Unless our children our healthy they will not be able to compete with this challenging world. Once the nation is built rest everything they will develop themselves . Mr.Ahsan your intentions were never to build people and make them stand on their feets. Alhamdulillah! We have got the leader now.
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Aug 21, 2018 03:10pm
"This experimentation will cost Pakistan," Iqbal warned. Iqbal is right. It has already 'costed' Pakistan its Emperor Nawaz Sharif and Princess Maryam Sharif. It will also 'cost' some more Sharif royalty. Iqbal Darbari should also become a 'cost' along with other darbaris. But the ridding of corruption that Pakistan has gained and will gain in coming years is definitely worth the price. Pakistan can happily afford the 'cost' of tis experimentation.
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Aug 21, 2018 05:51pm
Keep questioning, just like other questions and comments you have passed against IK and PTI. In the end ask your self, why are you yourself in politics with honesty, if there is such a thing in you. But wait and see what PTI does.
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Aug 22, 2018 05:12am
I believe the approach Imran Khan is taking is to start from the basics. Once the youth are well fed, have access clean water they will be able to grow physically and intellectually. Then give them access to sports, trades and education and they will become self sufficient. They will be able to compete on an international level. They will spawn creativity and economic growth lifting the whole country. This will take care of allot of problems like extremism, they will see the example set by IK and will become better leaders. He spoke about getting rid of corruption, spoke about obaying laws and revamping the judicial system. Access to healthcare for all.
Again very basics that have been missing. If we have a population that is healthy, educated, creative, treated with respect and feels safe then other problems like electricity, extremism and others will become easier to fix.
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