LAHORE: Federal Minister of State on Poverty Alleviation and Social Welfare Faisal Karim Kundi said here on Thursday that the opposition would again move a no-confidence motion in Punjab if Chief Minister Parvez Elahi did not take a vote of confidence as directed by the governor.

Speaking at a press conference at the PPP office, Mr Kundi said that everyone should trust Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who said that the country would never default on its international financial obligations.

He said that the incumbent federal government was trying hard to put the national economy on the right path which is a difficult task.

He told a questioner that PTI Chairman Imran Khan was not clear on the date of elections as the former prime minister first said that the polls would be held in the coming March and April and then he said that he did not see any elections in the country in the near future.

Answering a query, he said that the PPP is not afraid of elections and is ready to contest the electoral exercise whenever it would be held.

He asked the PTI lawmakers to join their parliamentary duties and bring about reforms in the election and national accountability laws.

Replying to a question about rumours of a technocratic set-up in the country, he said such a plan existed only in the dreams of Imran Khan otherwise there was no possibility of any such move.

Regarding PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto’s US visit, Mr Kundi said that the PPP chairman’s foreign visits are always fruitful unlike Imran Khan’s.

He said that Imran Khan damaged Pakistan’s relation with China, Saudi Arabia and other friendly countries as well as neighbours.

The former deputy speaker announced that the government is launching a dynamic survey of Benazir Income Support Programme from Jan 15, 2023.

He said the government would restore around 0.8 to 0.9 million BISP cards blocked by the PTI during its tenure in power. He said the government has so far distributed more than Rs8.5 billion among the flood victims of Punjab.

Mr Kundi said that flood victims were waiting for the Rs15 billion financial aid announced by former prime minister Imran Khan. He said 22 districts of Sindh, four of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and three of Punjab were affected by flood. He claimed that the Sindh chief minister worked in the recent floods more than the provincial chief executives of other provinces.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2022