No threat to govt: Minus-one is Opp ploy, says Shibli

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz Wednesday emphatically ruled out the possibility of minus-one formula and termed it an imagination of the opposition, saying the ruling PTI and its allies stood firmly behind Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Replying to questions from media persons after the cabinet meeting, the minister alleged the opposition was spreading lies and disinformation in a fist of vengeance from the prime minister, who they believed, if removed, then all would be fine for them. He asked was it the time to resort to such tactics by the opposition parties. He said the opposition wants to remove Imran Khan to avoid accountability.

“Imran Khan is waging a struggle for a system of punishment and reward, whereas the opposition parties, mainly PPP and PML-N, which brought the state institutions, including PIA and Pakistan Steel Mills, to destruction, are trying to trigger uncertainty and confusion,” he maintained. The minister contended that PTI was because of Imran Khan and not Imran Khan was because of PTI. He said how ridiculous was it that the opposition parties, that ruled the country for 30 years, were trying to hold this government responsible for all problems for its 20-month rule.

“They simply don’t consider corruption, corruption and people know how those, who came on scooters owned such palaces,” he remarked.

The minister was extremely cautious about speaking on the PIA pilots issue and maintained that the due course was being followed as well as the law, keeping in view the future so that such issues did not crop up again. “Decisions will be made strictly in line with the law, as people have the option of going to courts after having been charge-sheeted or suspended,” he noted.

About the opposition’s joining of hands, he said that the apparently unbelievable alliance of these opposition parties was on the minus-one formula and the reason of targeting Imran Khan was that they considered him the hurdle in their bids to save their skin and corruption. “Opposition has nothing to do with the people and Pakistan and their interests,” he alleged.

The minister said that if today, Imran Khan gave NRO to seven or eight persons, for them Imran Khan would be the best leader. Turning on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, he said that one could not base himself on his political inheritance and asked what struggle he had done in politics, while Imran Khan had moved from street to street during the last 20 years and knew well, how the poor people lived and what were their issues.

He added that Bilawal’s father first hid behind presidential immunity and then behind the COVID-19 to save himself from accountability for his corruption. He noted Prime Minister Imran Khan was totally different from the PPP and PML-N leadership, having no business or corporate interests.

Replying to a question on loadshedding, he said that the government was trying to ensure that the power-related projects, it started, would not invite people’s wrath in future, as had been the case about the PPP and PML-N era projects. Efforts, he noted, were on to minimise power outages.

The federal cabinet was informed that the government had initiated a thorough reforms process in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and all other airlines of the country had been asked to ensure transparency in all procedures and licensing of pilots.

It was learnt that there was a heated debate during the cabinet meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan, on the handling of the issue of fake degree holding pilots. Some ministers insisted that the matter could have had been tackled in a better way.

Some ministers also referred to the reaction from several countries and their airlines about the PIA pilots issue.

Shibli Faraz told journalists that pilots with dubious credentials had been suspended forthwith. He added that the pilots now operating the planes in Pakistani airlines had hundred percent authentic degrees.

Five employees of CAA, he explained, had been grounded till the process was completed and it had been directed to start further action on fast track basis. He said degrees of all airline staff including pilots, engineers and ground staff would be verified.

Shibli said the cabinet deliberated on the report of the Auditor General and expressed satisfaction that remarkable improvement had been made in procedures during the past 20 months. He said that the cabinet accorded approval to three agreements of hydro power projects including Kohala Power Project and that the meeting also took into consideration the renewable energy options for power production including solar and wind energy.

The prime minister, he said, issued directives to remove hurdles and bottlenecks in the way of alternative sources to encourage cheap energy production.

The cabinet also discussed sustainable development goals and on the suggestion of Minister for Information Technology Aminul Haq the prime minister directed to reallocate development funds within a month before their lapse.

Shibli said the Prime Minister directed to activate provincial finance commission for equitable development in all parts of provinces in an organised way and without any undue political influence.

After deliberations on the performance of Pak PWD, on the directives of the prime minister, a committee under the leadership of Minister of Economic Affairs Khusro Bakhtiar was constituted to look into public sector projects to be undertaken on reduced costs and improved quality. The committee will submit its report in 90 days.

The minister said the cabinet discussed the potential of IT exports and how to increase Pakistan's share in the international market. The cabinet also gave approval of the summery to appoint Usman Nasir as Managing Director of Pakistan Software Export Board.

On the evacuee properties and their optimal use for income generation, it was decided that education and health related properties can be offered to private parties to not only generate their business but also provide facilities to the public. He said presently in the energy mix some projects were producing one unit at the cost of Rs34 which were needed to be replaced by cheaper power generation projects to provide relief to the consumers.

The cabinet discussed the draft of Zaireen policy to regulate the visit to Iran, Iraq and Syria and avoid unnecessary rush at Quetta and Taftan in certain seasons. After discussion it was deferred till the next meeting with the directions that its shortcomings should be removed and preparation of a legal framework.

The cabinet also approved an increase in the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) pensions for the elderly across Pakistan. The premier had announced back on December 12, 2019, to increase the minimum pension from Rs6,500 to Rs8,500.