Usman Buzdar is here to stay: PM Imran Khan

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Saturday said Prime Minister Imran Khan had turned down all objections to the working of the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and he would continue to stay in the office.

Firdous had called on the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at 90 Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam. Firdous said Prime Minister Imran Khan after consultations with his aides rejected all objections raised by his ministers and the PML-Q to the performance of Usman Buzdar. She said the Punjab chief minister was doing a good job for which he must be encouraged. She said the Punjab government had taken timely measures for ensuring the availability of flour at the fixed price and its efforts in this regard. She said Usman Buzdar was running the province in an effective manner. She said the PTI team was united under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. “Revolutionary measures of public service have been taken by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. The Punjab government, in a short span of time, has done record legislation under the leadership of the Punjab CM,” said Dr Firdous. She said the opposition’s narrative had been exposed and political orphans had been expelled from the politics of Pakistan. She said now only politics of honesty would prevail in new Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar said his government had taken all necessary measures for stabilising flour prices and an indiscriminate action was being taken against the mills selling flour from the government wheat quota on the open market. “Increase in flour price would not be tolerated,” he warned. “I am guardian of people’s rights and I will not let anybody exploit them,” he pledged. “Flour is available in abundance on the market at the fixed price as a result of effective measures taken by the Punjab government,” he added. Buzdar said action had been taken against the Food Department officers for negligence. “All administrative measures would remain in place for bringing stability to the flour prices, he assured. The “Chakki (grinding machine) owners will not be allowed to increase prices of flour. We are in an alliance with a political party in the province but I’ll not allow anyone to create hurdles in the journey of development in the province,” he added. Buzdar said those indulging in criticism for the sake of criticism were not the well-wishers of the nation and the country. “Such elements are simply carrying the agenda of personal interests. Our objective is to provide relief and ensure ease for the people of the province,” he added.

Later addressing ''Meet the Press Programme'' at the Lahore Press Club, Firdous said the government would address all genuine reservations of its allies by adhering to the policy of consensus, consultation, and reconciliation. She said the PTI government was advancing further while taking along all the provincial governments but some political dwarfs and defeated elements were dreaming of toppling the government and mid-term election but they would face sheer disappointment, as the government would complete its constitutional term of five years. She said PTI was implementing its reform agenda through effective legislation to abolish the country’s obsolete system. “Since political stability and economic stability are very much interlinked, the government is ensuring both,” she said. Dr Awan said a jeopardised economy was left by the previous governments which has only now come off the ventilator and attained stability following tough but timely and vital decisions by the PTI government. She said through economic stability, the government was providing maximum relief to masses.

A crackdown has also been launched on flour millers, hoarders, profiteers and elements creating an artificial price hike to stabilize the prices of daily use items, she added. “The government has taken various decisions to maintain its writ and such elements would be dealt with an iron hand, and scope of Kisan Markets would be expanded to bring down the flour prices,” she vowed. Dr Firdous called upon the media to play its role in pointing out those creating artificial price hike, hoarders and cartels etc. She also conveyed best wishes of Prime Minister Imran Khan to the new Lahore Press Club governing body and mentioned that the Lahore Press Club had played an active role in convincing philanthropists during the construction of Shaukat Khanum Hospital. She said the prime minister also wanted the Lahore Press Club to once again play its effective role in pulling Pakistan out of prevailing challenges and providing maximum relief to the public. She said journalists also suffered a lot in the wake of the grave economic challenges left by the previous government; however, today the economy was stable and in the right direction and its positive impact would soon be felt in various fields including journalism. Now time has come to implement the strategy agreed upon with the media, while Prime Minister Imran Khan has also released the grants for press clubs and the government would patronise smaller press clubs, she added. Under the Right to Information Act, she mentioned that information centres would be established in press clubs to facilitate the journalists. To a question, she said first time in the media's history, there was no litigation against the ‘8th Wage Board Award’ announced by PTI government. The SAPM assured that the government would act as a bridge in the Media Consultative Commission to settle down the mutual issues of media workers/journalists and media owners.

To another question about Federal Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain's statements, she said it was his personal observation, as there was strong democracy in the country. She said unlike other political parties, the PTI government always gave space to cabinet members to point out any lacuna in its performance. She explained that out of total nine divisions of Punjab, Dera Ghazi Khan Division fell at number seven with regard to funds disbursement.

Meanwhile, talking to a delegation of youths from various walks of life at his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday claimed that Pakistan had come out of the worst economic situation of its history, as fiscal deficit had been reduced and confidence of investors restored. “Our government has for the first time after 1960 preferred restoration of industries and this strategy will provide jobs, promote economy and the youth must highlight this achievement,” he said.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Zulfi Bukhari and focal person of the Prime Minister for digital media Dr. Arslan Khalid were also present. Challenges being faced by the country, government’s strategy and actions to deal with the problems and the role of media, especially of digital media, were discussed thoroughly in the meeting. Imran said Pakistan always desired peace and was still playing a role in this regard, while the fascist Modi government was risking regional security and peace to realise the dream of Hindu Rashtra. Commenting on the Modi regime policies, he said the unjust occupation of Kashmir and amendments to the citizenship law were embodiments of completion of racist designs of India.

The prime minister called for presenting the case of oppressed Kashmiris before the world through digital media. He noted that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the federal government had decided to observe February 5 as the Kashmir Solidarity Day. The prime minister emphasised that a strategy to effectively utilise the digital media for highlighting a true image of Pakistan at the international level was the need of the hour. He also emphasised that the government had started the Ehsaas programme and shelters for the poor as part of their efforts to turn Pakistan into a welfare state as envisioned by the founders of the motherland.

The premier reiterated his resolve to continue fighting against corruption and the mafia until their elimination. Talking about the abundance of natural resources in the country, the prime minister underlined the need for highlighting the tourism potential through the digital media, as Pakistan was blessed with some of the most scenic places on the earth.