Our Correspondent
Mianwali
Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that a local government system envisaged by the incumbent government for Punjab and Khyber Pakh-tunkhwa would empower the people at the grassroot level.
The prime minister was in Mianwali to perform grou-ndbreaking ceremonies of multiple projects in the health, education, water and communications sector. “Under this system, the finance commissions will be established in the provinces which will distribute the finances to the district and village level.”
“Non-party local bodies’ elections will be held in the villages which will empower the locals to monitor the health and education facilities. Direct elections will be held in the cities where nazims will be elected and made responsible for addressing the problems of the people,” added the premier.
Alluding to the economic challenges inherited by the present government, the premier said: “The economic indicators have now been put on a positive trajectory as a result of the policies of the present economic team.”
The premier elaborated and said that the Pakistani rupee had stabilised and the current account deficit has been reduced for the first time in four years. “The country has been put in the right direction.”
Criticising the opposition, PM Imran said those who were standing on the containers were scared of the government’s success on the economic front and added they were also scared that we would recover the plundered money from them. “This mafia is a threat to the country.”
The prime minister further said that he would not make any deal or give relaxation to this “mafia” as it would amount to treason. He further said that he did not wish to save his ‘chair’ but wished to bring change in Pakistan.
Taking a jibe at former prime minister Nawaz Sharif – who recently flew to London for medical treatment – he said the government was told that Nawaz’s condition was very critical but watching him board the plane confused him.
“When I saw him boarding the plane, I was baffled. Then his medical report came into my mind and I wondered how he had recovered so quickly. His kidney was not working and he had diabetes. Did he recover by seeing the plane or the British air touched him?” asked the PM.
He also expressed the government’s commitment to implement health, education and water-related projects in Mianwali. “The projects launched today, including the Mother and Child Hospital, are just a beginning. Apart from this Mother and Child Hospital, another state of the art hospital will be established in Mianwali.”
