Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday threw a challenge to the opposition to table the much-touted no-confidence motion against his government insisting that his government faces no threat.
“They may go ahead with the no-trust motion. We are fully prepared,” he said while chairing the PTI’s core committee meeting in Islamabad.
Referring to the politicians who are facing corruption cases in the courts, PM Khan said he will foil the agenda of the ‘thieves’. Earlier, the core committee meeting reviewed the current political situation of the country. PM’s adviser on Parliamentarian Affairs Babar Awan briefed the meeting on legal affairs, says a news report.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and Minister for Defence Parvez Khattak also attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, sources privy to the matter said PM Imran Khan had decided to table the bill for formation of South Punjab province in the National Assembly soon. Both the government and joint opposition have been claiming each other’s failure in the ongoing war between the two sides as the latter’s efforts to topple the government grow intense with every passing day.
While PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari lead a long march towards Islamabad, which will be joined by other opposition parties on the way, the PTI-led government is carrying out separate rallies and marches. Addressing a public rally in the Tehsil Mailsi of the Vehari District on Sunday, PM Imran Khan had told the masses about the leaders moving the motion. Starting with his arch-rival Nawaz Sharif, the premier reminded the public how the former prime minister acted like a “Bollywood star” in a bid to leave the country. “If PML-N is listening to me, then think: can a jackal ever become a leader?” asked PM Imran. The premier claimed that the PML-N was moving the no-confidence motion as Nawaz was missing Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the EhsaasRiyayat Ration Scheme aimed at providing a monthly subsidy of 30 percent on daily use items to 20 million households. Under the targeted subsidy for the poor and middle class, the prices of flour, cooking oil, ghee and pulses will be considerably reduced. He expressed satisfaction that the socio-welfare programme of Ehsaas provided financial assistance to deserving people in pandemic, which was acknowledged internationally. The prime minister appreciated the progress of Ehsaasprogramme with a target to alleviate poverty in the country.
PM Imran Khan mentioned that 98 percent of the financial assistance under the Ehsaasprogramme was disbursed among needy women.
He said the country could not prosper unless the resources were invested for the uplift of women, particularly their education and health.
The prime minister urged the public to pay taxes and vowed that all such money would be spent on their welfare and development. With the surge in global oil prices, he said the rate of commodities in Pakistan were still less compared with rest of the world. He mentioned that the government recently announced a big subsidy on petrol and diesel for the relief of consumers. Imran Khan said the government’s national health insurance programme was a major step towards facilitating the common man in getting free medical treatment. PM’s Special Assistant on Social Welfare Senator Sania Nishtar said Ehsaasprogramme had completed its three successful years in line with the principles of transparency.
She mentioned that also under the EhsaasKafalat scheme, the distribution of Rs 71 billion of cash assistance would also be initiated. Dr Nishtar said the Ehsaasprogramme continued without any break during the pandemic to provide financial support to the deserving segment of society.
