PM ‘worried’ about the Opposition

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday, while speaking at a ceremony in Ziarat said, “I am worried, whether they [Opposition] will remain as an alliance or not.”

Khan took a jibe at the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), which faced a setback after the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Awami National Party (ANP) left it.

The premier said the country was “getting out of a very difficult time”, adding that the Opposition parties had been “making noise” that his government would fail ever since it came to power.

“Our opponents have created hue and cry. Even when Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had formed the government in 2018, our opponents said that we were bound to fail,” said Khan.

The Opposition kept reiterating that the country’s economy would suffer, but now, when the growth rate’s statistics were made public, they rejected them, he said.

“Our opponents want us to fail,” he said, as he stressed the government was doing everything in its power to uplift the economy.

The premier, shedding light on how his government achieved growth in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said the PTI-led government promoted tourism, launched health cards for nearly half of the population.

Moreover, till this year’s end, Punjab’s population will have a health card and soon enough, all of Pakistan will have this facility. “Even in Balochistan, every family will have a health card.”

Prime Minister said his government “considers Balochistan ours” in a way that previous governments did not. Previous governments had not spent money on the province’s development, he said, adding that his government would “use all of our resources in this difficult time” to ensure progress.

The premier said there was a gas issue in Ziarat, and a member of the provincial assembly (MPA) had told the premier that a gas line would be installed to overcome this problem.

Installing an LPG plant is more feasible in Ziarat, he said, adding in the next fiscal year, he would try his best to get an LPG plant installed in the city.

“Balochistan is a large province, so developing streets here is quite expensive …. Pakistan’s development will actually take place when the entire country develops,” he said.

The premier said despite reservations from Punjab and KP that he was being “too generous with Balochistan”, it was the government’s “responsibility to make full efforts” because the province had been ignored in the past.

“Pakistan’s development will only be in real terms when it is inclusive [and] when the whole country develops,” he reiterated.

“I will keep coming here and checking the progress. We are giving another package for roads. We will give funds wherever there is room,” the premier concluded.