PESHAWAR: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz has said that the nation has rejected the opposition parties because they have looted the country’s resources, damaged all state institutions and now they are bent upon creating chaos in the country.

Addressing ‘Meet the Press’ programme at Peshawar Press Club on Monday, he said that opposition parties were doing nothing for welfare of the nation but trying to blackmail the government on the FATF legislation through their failed shows.

The minister said that opposition parties were trying to divert attention of people from the corrupt practices of their leaders by exploiting price hike in the country. He said that government would not allow anyone to play with the interests of the country.

Shibli Faraz says Nawaz Sharif will be brought back to face cases

He said that opposition was attempting to create chaos and hide corruption of past governments. He said that the nation was aware of the prevailing situation and the rallies would bring no change for public welfare.

The minister said that process of accountability would continue indiscriminately. He said that Nawaz Sharif would be brought back to the country to face corruption cases. He said that the opposition parties in their respective governments had appointed their blue-eyed boys on key posts in important institutions for serving their personal interests.

The minister said that the country was facing financial crunch when PTI came into power. However, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was fully committed to the development of the country and solving its problems. He added that government’s polices strengthened the economy.

He said that growth-oriented economic policies led to increase in tax collection and exports besides restoring trust of investors. He asked the opposition parties to seek apology for what they had done to the people and the country by over the past 40 years.

The minister said that people knew about the personal motives of the opposition leaders and that was why that stayed away from Gujranwala and Karachi public meetings. He added that JUI-F chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman addressed almost empty chairs during the public meeting that reflected people’s lack of interest.

He said that despite the fact that Maulana Fazlur Rehman remained chairman of Kashmir Committee of National Assembly for so many years, the Kashmir issue was put on back burner and foreign policy was compromised.

On the other hand, he said, Prime Minister Imran Khan raised Kashmir issue at all international forums including UN General Assembly in more effective way and became a strong voice for the oppressed Kashmiris of India-held Jammu and Kashmir.

To a question, the minister said that the behaviour demonstrated at the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah by retired Capt Safdar was deplorable. He said that opposition was trying to politicise corruption cases in organised way by criticising state institutions including judiciary and defence establishment, which was unacceptable.

He said that government inherited the existing problems including price hike and inflation owing to the wrong policies of the previous regimes. He added that a comprehensive plan was prepared to control price hike and nation would hear good news within two to four weeks.

The minister said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project was above party politics and government was taking keen interest in its completion. He said that steps were being taken for welfare, security and protection of journalists and a bill was being introduced in the National Assembly in that regard.

The minister was accompanied by KP Labour and Culture Minister Shaukat Yousafzai.

Peshawar Press Club president Syed Bokhar Shah briefed the ministers about the problems being faced by the journalists.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2020