Opposition must respect PTI’s five-year mandate: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said masses gave Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) five years to serve them, and the opposition parties should respect this mandate.

Addressing an Iftar-dinner on Tuesday, hosted by the voters in Tataypur here, he said the PTI government is devising pro-people policies and the party would be re-elected to power on the basis of its services in the 2023 elections. Qureshi pledged that no compromise would be made on the creation of south Punjab province, as it is part of the party manifesto. He said he would start consulting all political parties soon after Eidul Fitr to develop a consensus on creation of the new province. He said a master plan is being prepared for development of Multan. "I am trying my best to do something exclusive for Multan and south Punjab during the PTI tenure,” he added. He promised a network of roads, sui gas, electricity, hospitals and schools in NA-156 and NA-157 constituencies. He said he is committed to fulfilling all his election commitments. Qureshi said the PTI is different from the past governments, as it is delivering development without any commissions or kickbacks. He said the PTI believed in indiscriminate accountability. The prime example of corruption is biased accountability done in the past, he added. The foreign minister vowed that accountability would continue despite pressure.

Qureshi said it happened for the first time in the history of Pakistan that a powerful man, Mian Nawaz Sharif, was put in jail for his massive corruption. He said similarly all corrupt elements would be dealt with an iron hand. The foreign minister reiterated that Pakistan is ready to resume dialogue with newly elected Indian government at any place and any time. He said the PTI government has sincerely highlighted the Indian atrocities in held Kashmir across the world and sent a wake-up call to the world leaders. Now the voice of the people of Kashmir could not be suppressed, he added.

Qureshi said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a game-changer in the region and the PTI government had launched its second phase, which would put the country on the road to development. He said Chinese vice president’s tour to Pakistan remained very successful and people would hear about its fruits soon.