Pervez Khattak says country on road to progress

NOWSHERA: Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak said on Sunday the country had been put on the road to progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“The country is faced with a host of issues because of the wrong policies of the past governments. [Prime Minister] Imran Khan is trying hard to improve the situation as a mission,” he said while speaking at a function.

Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Dr Imran Khattak, and other party leaders were present on the occasion.

Pervez Khattak accused the former three-time prime minister and the supreme leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Nawaz Sharif, and erstwhile president Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairperson of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), of doing nothing for the country during when they were in power.

He was critical of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and felt that the masses had rejected the narrative of this opposition alliance.

“The PDM lacks the popular appeal and any proper agenda to follow and this is why people have become disenchanted with the opposition political parties which are part of this anti-government alliance,” said the federal minister.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was pursuing the fiscal policies which were leading to improvement.

“The foreign exchange reserves stood at 5 billion dollars when the PTI government was installed in the country. These have grown to over 20 billion dollars now after three years which is no small achievement,” he added.

The defence minister said the PTI government was creating job opportunities by setting up industries.

“However, I will advise the youth to acquire the technical skills; learn the Chinese language and don’t depend on government jobs alone,” he added while pointing to the development projects being undertaken under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project.

Pervez Khattak said he would never compromise the development of the Nowshera district whose people had always trusted him and his family members by electing them to assemble in the elections from time to time.

He enumerated a number of mega uplift projects initiated by him in his home district of Nowshera in the health, education and other sectors.

“These projects were completed with Rs120 billion spendings. I consider these schemes not a favour; it is the right of the people of Nowshera who have always put trust in me and given me the political status which I enjoy,” said Pervez Khattak.