Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said the new year will be a year of economic growth for Pakistan, adding that the country was already moving in the right direction with essential industries increasing output.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of new vehicles in Islamabad, the prime minister said the construction industry was already on its way up, which was evident from rising cement sales in the country.
“When cement sales are increasing it is a clear sign that construction activity is on the rise,” he said. PM Imran said the textile industry was “producing at capacity for the first time in many years” which he said had given rise to a shortage of labour in the sector.
The premier said these signs were indicating that the country was in the right direction and that Pakistan was the only nation in the subcontinent that had seen the “fastest recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Leader of the House in senate Shehzad Waseem said that the PTI government believes in accountability across the board. He said that the people of Pakistan have rejected politics of inheritance at the PDM’s public gathering in Lahore. Senator Shehzad Waseem said the PDM only wants to secure NRO from the government to protect their looted money. The opposition came down hard on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as it took up the anti-graft watchdog’s conduct during the Senate session. The point was raised by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) senior member and Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Zafar-ul-Haq. He alleged
that the NAB is victimising the political opponents of the government.
Haq maintained that the current trend of the institution will lead to division and disorder in the country. He said that NAB targeted specific people, so much so that even the Supreme Court (SC) termed its conduct one-sided.
“If there is a case against someone, the person is targeted in the media before the court. It is not right to ridicule people by putting them in jail” Haq said.
Referring to the arrest of acting Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Khawaja Asif, he said the way he was arrested was unethical.
“Khawaja Asif was called during the meeting, and was told that some people were here, asking to speak to him. He knew [from that point on] that he could be detained at any time,” the PML-N leader stated.
Addressing the upper house during the session, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Deputy Secretary and Deputy Chairman Senate Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, while referring to the recently initiated NAB inquiry against JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said he will not appear before the institution.
“We will be torn to pieces, but will not appear before NAB. Maulana Fazl’s life is an open book. He said if NAB has to make his arrest, it should do so,” the Senator stated.
He underscored that NAB launched a series of revenge attacks in the name of accountability, terming the anti-graft watchdog an ‘institution of blackmail’.
The senior JUI-F leader stated that NAB played with politicians’ honour without any evidence and then imprisoned them.
Referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ‘selectors’, Maulana Haideri added that “Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s only crime is that he calls out those who ‘selected’ you. He tells them that politics is for politicians to do, and not you”.
The JUI-F Senator said it was the government that was defaming the country’s armed forces and not the opposition. “Why do you have to say after everything you do that the army is behind you?” Maulana Haideri asked.
PML-N leader Senator Javed Abbasi criticised the government for using NAB as a tool to pressurise the opposition.
PPP Senator Keshoo Bai said the government has no time for the poor people of the country.
Others who participated in the discussion includes Senator Usman Khan Kakar, Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi and Senator Mohsin Aziz.
The House will now meet again on Monday at 3:00pm.
