Lahore (Staff Report/ Agencies): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that his government may accept every demand of the opposition but will not compromise on accountability.
Addressing a ceremony in Lahore to highlight the performance of Punjab government in the first 100 days, the PM said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will not back down from holding the leaders of opposition parties accountable for their alleged corrupt practices during their respective tenures.
He said that the government will accept opposition’s every demand except compromise on accountability. “There is a drama going on in the assembly where the opposition is accusing the government of political victimization”, the PM said.
Imran said that the government did not file any case as the probe was probe is going on in the cases filed during the previous tenure.
"I told the party leaders to issue Saad Rafique's production orders, agree on Shehbaz Sharif's appointment as Public Accounts Committee chairman, but don't back down from accountability.", the PM said.
The premier said that the national security will remain under threat until and unless action against corrupt element is taken.
He said that in past, half of whole provincial budget was spent on development of Lahore city alone and even funds allocated for welfare of workers were diverted to Lahore.
Reaffirming the stance of the government, the prime minister said that the PTI government will work for the betterment and development of Punjab by ensuring the rights of people and utilising all available resources to uplift the living standard of masses.
Imran Khan said major reforms will be made in various sectors to bring relief to the common man. He said civil code procedure will be reformed in order to reduce the time involved in disposition of cases.
The PM said the courts will decide the cases in one year time after the introduction of reforms. He said this will be started in center, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan soon. He said police reforms are mandatory to depoliticize the department and make it a modern law enforcement force.
The PM added that agricultural reforms are also very important as it acts as a backbone of the country.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said that protection of rights of minorities is part of the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali innah who struggled for a separate country for Muslims that would also ensure equal rights to people of other faiths.
Addressing the ceremony, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said the time has come that dream of a new Pakistan will come true. He said all out steps are being taken to improve the institutions in Punjab.
Buzdar said the culture of status quo has been abolished in the province, thanks to 22-year struggle of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The CM said executive councils have been set up in the center and Punjab to declare South Punjab a new province. He said that South Punjab Secretariat will be functional from July 1, 2019. he said that a project of Nishtar two is being started in Multan. He said 100, 000 acres of land worth 171 billion rupees has been retrieved from encroachment mafia.
“A new industrial policy has been approved which will lead to employment of 1.2 million youth and a police is also being made for development of livestock sector, he said.
He said 10.25 million saplings have been planted in first 100 days of the provincial government. A minority empowerment package is being brought for minorities as per vision of the PTI government, the CM announced.
Earlier at the start of the event, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht gave a presentation about the achievements of the provincial government during the first 100 days.
He said PTI government inherited a loan of 1140 billion rupees and it had to go to litigation to resolve the cases of unpaid amounts of 56 billion rupees, left by previous government.
Hashim said the provincial government has set a target of seven percent growth rate. He said new urban areas will be established to cater to the needs of rising population. He said the development of Southern Punjab is among the highest priorities of the new government.
The minister said the provincial government aims to create six million job opportunities in order to lift ten million people out of poverty.