Prime Minister Imran Khan promises sweeping reforms in inaugural address

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan pledged that his government would cut spending, launch sweeping reforms and take austerity measures that affect the welfare of the nation.  

In his inaugural address to the nation on Sunday, Prime Minister Khan thanked his supporters and workers for standing by him during his political struggle. 

"First of all, I would like to thank my workers who joined my movement and jihad. I want to specially pay tributes to two of my late colleagues, first Ahsan Rashid and Saloni Bokhari. They joined my party during my early days.

"Today, we stand at a point where we must change. I wish to tell you that all my life I've been told that one thing or another can't be achieved. I wish to tell you that I'll battle out these odds we face today."

"We have to stand up on our own feet. The way we have been operating, it can not go on. The more debt we are under, the more freedom we lose. "

"Our national debt has reached at Rs28, 000 billion.  The debt we took over the last 10 years has doubled. We are facing a situation where we have to take loans to pay off the interest on our foreign debt."

"The pressure being faced by rupee is due to foreign debts. On one hand, we are under heavy debt, on the other hand, our human development index is at the lowest in the region."

According to UN report, we are ranked in five countries where more infant mortality rate is very high.

"In Pakistan, our ruing elite is living a luxurious life. Prime Minister of Pakistan has more than 500 employees. The prime minister uses 80 vehicles. "We have rest houses, chief minister houses, secretaries and dcs and commissioners. They live in big houses."

"A prime minister spends 650 million on foreign visits. Why do they such expensive visits? Why do they achieve? Do they go there to conquer countries?"

"We have to change our mindset and lifestyle if we have to save our nation. Another problem Pakistan faces is from global warming and climate change.  It's about time we change our mindset and way of life.  Our role model of Holy Prophet (pubh).  First of all, we have to adhere to rule of law which is vital to change our destiny.  Two courts had to face courts of law. "

Zakat

There was a system of Zakat in the state of Medina. It meas people have to pay progressive taxes, a  concept the western nations has adopted. There was system of merit in the state of Medina.  Our caliphs used to present themselves for accountability. Rulers were not above the law."

Conflict of interest

"When Hazrat Umar (RA) became caliph, he shut down his clothing business due to conflict of interest. Now look at our current rulers, who only come into politics to make money." 

Education

Education remains our top priority. The standard of education at government-run schools is very poor. We know how middle class suffers due to lack of quality education in government schools. We will declare education emergency."

"We will also not forget children who are enrolled in seminaries. We have to make sure that students studying in madrassas also become doctors and engineers." 

"The greatest world leader Holy Prophet (pbuh) used to emphasize on education. The principles of the state of Medina had been adopted by the West. We too need to embrace them to look after our out of school children."

Pakistan was not established to replace the rich Hindu elite with Muslims. "It was created to protect the marginalized communities."

"I have learnt one thing in my life and that is not to give up. You have to become my team and I shall prove that we can fix the system."

PM House to be made university 

"I will live in the house of my military secretary. It's a three-room residence which has only three servants. We will put the cars on auction."

"We have decided to set up a committee of experts to decide what can be done with governor houses. The Prime Minister House will be converted into a world-class university. We will also form a task force under Dr Ishrat Hussain to make suggestions to cut the spending."

People should realize that we have to change our mindset. We need a new mindset in naya Pakistan. We have to save the money and spend it on the most underprivileged section of society. 

No to begging bowl

"No country  can progress through loans. The loan cane be acquired for a short period. We cannot last forever through loans. When we get loans, we compromise our national self respect and integrity." 

"I will feel ashamed of begging to foreign countries. Inshahullah, I shall make the nation stand on its feet. We have to become a great nation. No nation can become great through begging bowls. We have to collect money from our own people." 

"If we want to collect money. Out of 20 crore people, only 8 Lakh people give taxes. There are these people in big cars and homes who don’t pay taxes. The first thing I’m going to do is fix our FBR who people have no faith in to pay tax.

"You have to pay tax for the respect of the nation. You are harming the nation if you don’t pay tax. Look at how some of the poorest are living. How can we stand for this?"

"We have to pay taxes to lift our most under privileged. And I will prove it to you that if we bring these reforms, we will InshAllah never have losses and be in debt."

"I will also make the nation feel confident that I will protect your money. Your tax will be spent on the awaam. With our austerity measures we will daily tell the nation how much we have saved."

Task Force

"We are setting up a high-powered Task Force to bring back money laundered abroad from Pakistan."

"Our biggest issue today is that we don’t have money to keep up with our expenses. We are making a high powered tax force to make sure we bring back the looted money to Pakistan."

There is a US state department report that 1000 billion was being laundered out of Pakistan. This has done the most damage to us. This is criminal.

Exports

"We have to increase our exports as well. Our exports will increase when our government will facilitate all our industries to remove all hurdles for them.

"We will also work to bring investment into the country, make an environment for investment.

"All our embassies globally; we will engage them to engage all overseas Pakistanis and make life easier for them. Especially for our labourers who are abroad, some of our people who are in jails, to give them legal representation."

Overseas Pakistanis

"I want to especially talk to our overseas Pakistanis. I want you to bring your money to Pakistan. To keep your money in Pakistani banks. "

"Right now we are short on dollars. There is a huge trade gap right now. We need your remittances via our banking system so we get foreign exchange through our banks.

"To get through this difficult time, I make a special request to overseas Pakistanis to bring some money into Pakistani banks as we as a nation need your help."

"Corruption; the money that is meant to be spent on the people are instead pocketed and when leadership is corrupt, it ruins all institutions."

Crackdown on corruption

"This is our biggest problem.  I will hold a meeting with NAB's chairman. We will provide him all the resources he needs at his disposal to go after corrupt elements. We will go after crooks everywhere.  The corrupt elements will make a lot of noise but we will no deviate from our mission to tackle corruption"

"We will help NAB in every capacity and also bring an act like the whistle-blower act that we brought in KP; whatever corruption they expose a certain percentage of recovery will be given to them as a reward."

"SECP will also be fixed because it too was exploited by the corrupt. The FIA will need to be reformed to keep an eye on those who are taking money out."

"In keeping the Ministry of Interior with myself. Either this country will be lifted or these corrupt be spared. You have to stand by me and never vote those who have stashed their assets abroad."

Reforms in justice system

"For the common man, we have to bring a system of justice. We will do a meeting with the Chief Justice. There are so many justice issues at the grassroots. People pass away but their cases are never heard."

"I want to appeal to the Chief Justice that there are many widows whose land has been grabbed; they have been struggling for their cases for years so I request for speedy justice and resolution for each one of them."

Police reforms

"We have to fix the police system. The crime rate has come down in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to police reforms. Nasir Durrani, who was our police chief in KP and led the reforms police, has agreed to help us in Punjab.  

" Police is a provincial subject. We cannot directly intervene, but we are ready to work with the Sindh government to improve police performance. We have to address the issue of child abuses. "

Health

"We will change the management system of government hospitals. We have to fix the health system. We have made a task force which will review it. We will introduce health cards across Pakistan.  The poor can go to any hospital and get himself/herself treatment through health insurance."

Water

"Karachi is facing acute water shortage. Situation is same in Quetta and Islamabad. We will guide our farmers to conserve water resources.  But it is crucial to build at least one dam. Bhasha Dam must be built at soon as possible. We will raise funds to construct Bhasha Dam." 

Agriculture

"We have to help our farmers to increase their yield and earn money. And for this purpose, our first priority will be to focus on Agriculture Research. 

Civil Service Reforms

"If civil service doesn't execute government's policies, how are we going to resolve our issues. There was time when our civil services was one of the world's best. Dr Ishrat Hussain will carry out reforms in civil services. There will be no political interference. We will give you complete respect.  The common man needs to be respected by the civil servants.  We will give bonuses to departments which perform well and those who don't will be penalized."

LG system

"We devolved power at grass-root level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through our local government system. We will introduce a new local government system to directly elect nazims.  Nowhere in the world, MNAs/MPAs are given funds for development purpose. They can identity areas but they cannot be given funds. "

"We have to build new playgrounds and parks for people. It is the right of our women and children to go to park and relax."

Plantation

"We have to plant billions of saplings across Pakistan. We took the initiative in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "We have to replicate it in rest of the country. We will run new campaigns to plant trees with the help of our youth." 

"We have to launch cleanliness drive in Karachi and rest of Pakistan and tackle the issue of pollution. In five years, Pakistan should be transformed into a clean and green nation." 

Tourism

"We are going to open new resorts every years to promote tourism in this country. We will develop beaches where our people could go. " 

FATA Reforms

"We have to introduce reforms FATA to develop the region at par with rest of Pakistan," he said. 

Balochistan

"Our government will try its level best to address the sense of deprivation in Balochistan," he said, adding he would himself look after the issues of Balochistan. 

South Punjab

South Punjab province must be carved out of Punjab. No province can look after a population of 120 million.  

Karachi

Police need to be revamped in Karachi. We need to carry out cleanliness campaign in Karachi. We will set up deslination plants in Karachi. 

National Action Plan

The 20-point national action plan (NAP), agreed by all political parties, will be implemented. We cannot progress without combating terrorism." 

Foreign policy

"Our priority is to talk to our neighbours and restore peace in the region.  Many leaders have phoned me. We will talk to them and discuss how can we restore peace in the region. We should have better relations with our neighbours."

"This Pakistan is a gift. Our country has been given everything. It is our resource. We have to protect it. When state money is stolen, your money is stolen. We all have to work as a team to protect it."

"In the end, I want us all to bring empathy in ourselves. To be sympathetic and to care about those who are not as privileged as us. We need to life our people and focus on human development."