KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in his meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan at Governor House on Monday afternoon discussed a number of issues, including development schemes, wheat shortage, locust swarm attacks, increasing polio cases and threat of Coronavirus.
The prime minister assured the chief minister that all these issues would resolved on top priority basis.
The chief minister discussing development schemes told the prime minister that some of the important projects of the province were pending in Planning & Development Ministry. He added that the on-going federal government projects in Karachi were also moving slow. At this the prime minister said that he would directed Federal Minister for Planning & Development Asad Umer to expedite the process of Sindh government’s schemes. As far as the federal schemes going on slow in Karachi, the prime minister assured the chief minister that they would be completed at the earliest.
Another issue Sindh Chief Minister discussed with the prime minister was locust swarm that have wreaked havoc with the standing crops in the country, particularly in Sindh. The chief minister said that it was high time to destroy them in the desert area where they have settled for breeding. He added that their breeding would start as and when desert would receive rains.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he would directed his Plant Protection department to take necessary measures and start aerial spray in eth desert areas. The chief minister proposed to hire aircrafts from China and UAE so that action could be taken in time. The prime minister directed concerned federal government department to take emergent measures and start spray.
In the meeting between the two, the matter of increasing polio cases, were also discussed on which the prime minister expressed serious reservations. The chief minister said that the polio virus was not only crippling our children but going to isolate Pakistan in the international community.
“We, in Sindh, have taken drastic measures to control polio virus but due to frequent travels from and to Afghanistan, Balochistan and KPK the virus emerges again and again. Shah suggested the prime minister that we would have to change the strategy to control it. The prime minister said that he would call the meeting of National Polio Eradication Taskforce meeting in which all the stakeholder would be invited to change and further strengthen the strategy to control it.
They also discussed the emergence of deadly virus Corona in China. The chief minister pointed out a Coronavirus-like case has been detected in Multan. He said that that it might not be Corona but Chinese were working Pakistan in a large number.
In Sindh the Chinese were engaged in Thar and Karachi, therefore travel advisory for them and people of Pakistan may also be issued. The prime minister directed National Institute of Health, Islamabad to develop its testing system and directed all the provinces to follow the WHO advice and precautionary measures. The Chinese working in Pakistan should also
be guided according, the prime minister said.
The prime minister and the chief minister also discussed the issue of wheat shortage and the prime minister said he would call a meeting on the matter shortly. The chief minister said that new wheat crop would be harvested from March, therefore the government has to make necessary arrangements to meet the national requirement of about one and half month requirement.
Earlier, the chief minister had received the prime minister at Faisal Base.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday launched Kamyab Jawan Program in Karachi and distributed loan cheques among successful applicants under the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES), in a ceremony, held in Karachi at Governor House.
Addressing a Kamyab Jawan Program cheque distribution ceremony, the prime minister termed the transparency and merit as the cornerstones of the loan scheme.
“Kamyab Jawan Program will become 100 percent successful if it is run on merit,” he said, adding that society or any program fails when it doesn’t give priority to merit.
“Pakistan’s biggest strength is its youth population and the success of this program depends on merit. Higher the meritocracy, higher will be its success rate.”
“Every institution in Pakistan can become an international level institution if it follows merit and transparency. We [Pakistanis] are lacking in every field due to (Sifarishi) culture which is damaging our institutions,” added PM Khan.
PM Imran said that Almighty Allah has blessed Pakistan with fertile land, having amazing resources for tourism, 5000-year-old Indus valley civilization and oldest cities like Lahore and Multan with its heritage.’
He said that societies which overlook meritocracy do not move forward. Giving an example of Australia, the prime minister said the country is successful in every field because it recruits talent based on merit. But we, despite the talent are unable to compete.
“Our overseas Pakistanis are proof of the talents and capabilities we have. Only, if we can make every department at par with international standards, we have this huge pool of professionals we can utilize. But our system does not support the merit system,” he added.
He said that Pakistan has the second youngest population in the world and this is the strength of our country.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs and Chairman of PM’s Youth Programme Usman Dar, addressing the ceremony, said that around 100,000 youth have applied from Sindh under PM’s Kamyab Jawan Program.
“Today, it is the start of Kamyab Jawan Program. In March this year, we will move to other districts of Sindh,” he reaffirmed adding that the youth from Sindh would get at least Rs 10 billion under this program.
The YES was launched under the banner of Kamyab Jawan Programme in October last year under which Rs100 billion allocated for the youth and loans ranging from Rs100,000 to Rs5 million would be disbursed among the youth coming up with practicable business ideas.
Imran Khan has said that the mafia involved in increasing inflation to make more money will not be spared. He said that the programmes always fail due to malicious political affiliations, adding that the programme started by PTI government is for youth.
Meanwhile, talking to a delegation of important figures from Qatar of Pakistani origin led by renowned businessman Arif Habib in Islamabad Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said providing promising environment and facilitation to business community and investors for lucrative businesses is top priority of the incumbent government.
The prime minister mentioned that the business-friendly policies and ease-of-doing business was a source of encouragement for foreign businessmen to invest in Pakistan. He termed overseas Pakistanis a big asset for the homeland for contributing immensely to the national
economy through foreign exchange.
He said the youth, particularly the educated and skilled segment, deserved special attention and mentioned that the government launched a project for providing them job opportunities.
Imran Khan said the Pakistani workforce was playing an important role in Qatar’s progress and development. The meeting discussed ways to strengthen trade relations between Pakistan and Qatar, particularly Qatari investment and employment opportunities for the Pakistani skilled persons.
The delegates included Director Product and Market Development Qatar Stock Exchange Mohsin Mujtaba, General Council Qatar Financial Centre Ishaq Barni, Senior Director Al-Rayyan Investment Akbar Khan, Legal Director FIFA World Cup Qatar 2020 Aarij Syed Wasti, Chief Economist Economic Policy and Research Ministry of Economic Affairs, Qatar Irfan Aleem and others.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday has sought report on the performance of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet.
In a statement, the premier has clarified that every leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) whether he is a minister or advisor has to follow party discipline. No compromise on rules and regulations set by the party, he asserted.
The reaction came after three provincial ministers of KP including Muhammad Atif Khan, Shahram Khan Tarakzai and Shakeel Ahmad were removed from the provincial cabinet.
A notification issued by K-P Chief Secretary Taj Muhammad stated that the governor exercised his powers under Article 132 read with clause 1 of Article 105 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
“On their de-notification from their respective offices, they have ceased to hold portfolios of provincial ministers with immediate effect.”
Atif held the portfolio of the senior minister for sports, culture and tourism whereas Tarakzai was the health minister and Shakeel held the revenue and estate portfolio. – NNI