ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday chaired a meeting of the parliamentary party regarding the Army Act Amendment Bill 2020 and said the premier has the discretion to extend the army chief’s tenure.
Imran Khan remarked that the Supreme Court gave its verdict over the case pertaining to the army chief’s term and the government altogether accepted the decision.
The prime minister further said that bureaucracy and business community had reservations over the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) which had halted the national development.
The NAB Ordinance 2019 has been introduced in the national interest and the government committee is holding consultations with the opposition over the matter, Imran Khan said.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari, Special Assistant to PM on Political Affairs Naeemul Haque, PTI Secretary General Amir Mahmood Kiyani, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul and other leaders.
Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan briefed the attendees on the Army Act Amendment Bill 2020 and NAB Ordinance 2019. Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan apprised the party leaders of meetings with the opposition parties.
After the meeting, Pervez Khattak tabled the Army Act Amendment Bill 2020 in the National Assembly. The bill will be presented in the Senate afterwards and is likely to be approved from both houses as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) decided to back the amendment.
It is pertinent here to mention that Pervez Khattak Thursday chaired a meeting of the 33-member of Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Legislative Affairs in the Parliament House which was attended by government officials and representatives of PML-N and PPP.
While talking after the meeting, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem said that the meeting gave briefing to all the political parties and satisfied them on their concerned questions.
Addressing the ceremony after laying foundation stone of Allama Iqbal Industrial City in Faisalabad on Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan says industrialization leading to increased exports is key to eradicate poverty from the country.
He said this specialized economic zone is a major step towards the realization of China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The premier was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, and Planning Minister Asad Umar. He also planted a sapling on the occasion.
He was briefed about the industrial city which has been planned over an area of four thousand acres and was strategically located on Motorway M-4 near Sahianwala Interchange, Faisalabad.
The Prime Minister said China Pakistan Economic Corridor is a golden chance for the country to develop. Eulogizing the Chinese model of development, Imran Khan said Chinese investors and entrepreneurs are keen to invest in various sectors of the country.
He said Chinese businesses are also willing to transfer vital technology to Pakistan. He said China uplifted 700 million people from poverty in three decades which is unprecedented in the world history.
Dubbing industrialization as major source of employment creation in the country, he said pace of industrialization in Pakistan was very fast in 1960s. But, unfortunately this lost momentum due to policies adopted in 1970s.
Underscoring the need to change the national mindset regarding industrialization, he said money making and wealth creation are not bad things for the society. He said Pakistan also needs to enhance its agricultural productivity to gain maximum benefit of the favorable land
and climate. He said tourism is another sector which has a lot of potential in the country and it needs harnessing.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to impart technical skills and education to the youth of the country to increase their employability.
Imran Khan appreciated the Punjab government for expediting work on Allama Iqbal Industrial City in Faisalabad. He said this this will mark a major step to our progress forward. He said special economic zones started in our tenure have an objective which is an important part of the vision of PTI government. Sharing his vision, he said he wants to transform Pakistan on the pattern of state of Madinah that uplifts the
weaker segments of the society.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday inaugurated a shelter home for homeless people in Faisalabad.
He visited different parts of the shelter home and inspected the facilities being provided there. He was also briefed about the facilities.
On the occasion, a memorandum of understanding was also signed for running the shelter home.
Meanwhile, American democratic party leader Tahir Javed on Friday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Parliament House in Islamabad.
The meeting discussed matter related to overall regional situation, Pak-US relations and situation of occupied Kashmir.
Prime Minister Imran Khan stressed to expose Indian atrocities in the occupied valley and to call a conference on Situation of South Asia in Washington.
The premier urged upon the democrat leader to highlight the situation being faced by minorities in India and the blatant rights violations in the country and occupied Kashmir.
Meanwhile, expressing severe concerns over state-sponsored violence against the Muslim in India, Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked that how long the world will remain silent while the fascist Modi regime indulges in state terrorism.
Taking to the social networking website, twitter, PM Imran said that Indian police were attacking Muslims across the country as part of Modi government’s ethnic cleansing policy.
In Uttar Pradesh, police bias and the scale of violence against the minorities are plumbing new depths.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit his native town Mianwali on a day-long trip today.
Sources said that prime minister will inaugurate the model police station in Mianwali. Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Punjab Shoaib Dastagir will brief premier about special initiatives taken by the police regarding Model Police Stations.
PM Imran will also pay a visit to the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) institute. – NNI