Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Thursday said Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power by defeating the fascist forces with the support of people and his government was taking all possible steps for the protection of rights of common men.
Addressing the convention of Akhbar Farosh Federation here, she said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was committed to ensure rights of the workers.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, she said, was a genuine leader, who had taken difficult decisions for the betterment of the nation, whereas former rulers proved to be ordinary politicians who preferred expediencies over the national interest.
She said under the Prime Minister’s Ehsas programme, Rs 3 billion would be released for disbursement among the poor people irrespective of their political affiliations.
Dr Firdous said Pakistan had now changed. In the Naya Pakistan, rule of law would be ensured and no one would be above the law. She said Imran Khan was different from the conventional politicians as he was against the exploitation of the poor. The former rulers had signed a charter of corruption under which they protected each other’s corruption and plunder during their stay in power, she added. The special assistant said Imran Khan did not have any personal property or business dispute with anybody but he had challenged those who had strengthened themselves by concentration power in their hands and weakening institutions and sending their children abroad. She said the former rulers held fake bank accounts, laundered money made with corruption and kickbacks, and usurped the money that belonged to the poor. Imran was the hope for the working class as he challenged the status quo and those elements who had weakened the rule of law in the country, she added.
Imran Khan was determined to not let anybody indulge in corruption, she said, adding the government had started action against those having undeclared assets made with the wealth which was rightfully owned by the workers and labourers.
The undeclared assets were being attached under the law and many of the undeclared properties belonged to the leadership of People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League(N), she added.
Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto, she noted, was using abusive language against Imran Khan after action was taken against his father Asif Ali Zardari on account of undeclared assets. She termed Rana Sanaullah an actor involved in the tragedy of Model Town which caused immense pain and anguish to the victims and said in his recent case the law would take its course. Rana Sanaullah, she said, misused his public office, acted as a carrier of drugs and was involved in making the young generation addicted to narcotics.
Dr Firdous said the policy of the government led by Imran Khan would create economic stability after the signing of International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
She said Imran Khan talked about restoring the sanctity of Pakistani green passport. The prime minister would visit the United States with dignity, she said, recalling after aggressive messages of US President Donald Trump, Imran Khan had responded effectively and Pakistan’s contribution in the war against terrorism was recognized.
She said the prime minister would stay at the home of Pakistan’s ambassador during his visit to the US and not at a five star hotel. Dr Firdous said newspaper sellers were the mainstay of the newspaper industry, who helped in spreading the narrative of the nation.
She assured that all steps would be taken for the welfare of newspaper sellers and they would be made part of the programmes for housing, health insurance and social protection.
She said she would talk to the Minister for Railways to get discount of 50 percent in tickets for those who sold newspapers in trains. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Affairs of Capital Development Authority Ali Nawaz Awan also assured of his support to the newspaper industry in resolution of its problems.
