Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz has said that they expected that there would be constructive discussion in the parliament and the government would gain guidance but the opposition repeated what they usually say in press conferences and brought nothing new to the table.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad along with Special Assistant on Accountability Shehzad Akbar, he said despite the economic constraint, the government gave a mammoth stimulus package of 1.2 trillion rupees to provide cushion and support to every segment of the society affected by the contagion.
Giving breakdown of the stimulus package, he said this included 480 billion rupees for the business community and exporters and 570 billion rupees for relief to the citizens.
The Minister said under Ehsaas programme, 104 billion rupees have so far been disbursed amongst the deserving families. He said the cash assistance programme is being executed in the most transparent and efficient manner.
The Minister said supplies of essential commodities have been ensured in the lockdown situation. He said there were difference of opinion amongst the provinces on the reopening of the public transport but consensus has been developed on the matter to a great extent now. He said a policy has been framed to responsibly use the transport.
Shibli Faraz said all the federating units have been taken along to cope with the situation arising out of the pandemic. He said the federal government has provided personal protective equipment to the hospitals in the four provinces.
Shibli Faraz responded to allegations that Prime Minister Imran Khan is “incompetent” and the government has no strategy to tackle the coronavirus crisis, questioning whether “feeding the hungry” is considered incompetence.
Are we incompetent because we want to end their corruption?” he questioned.
He added that the country could “only win the war against coronavirus with unity”. Shibli criticised PML-N party chief and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif for not attending its recent session on Covid-19. He said: “His absence shows his elite mindset. He did not show up because he thinks it is only his health and life that matters.” The minister claimed that other PML-N MNAs came to attend the session despite being sick.
Faraz also said that Prime Minister Imran Khan considered himself the “premier of the entire country” and treated everyone equally.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar speaking on the occasion said a National Accountability Bureau reference was ready to be filed against PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif.
“Those who are working hand in glove with Sharif in corruption stand exposed […] Eid is near and the reference against Sharif is ready,” he said.
Akbar claimed that there is a trail of the “kickbacks and commission received by the PML-N leader”, adding that Sharif will have to respond to the corruption charges. He demanded a trial of the former Punjab chief minister on a day-to-day basis.
