ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has said the law-enforcement agencies will be equipped with the state of art equipment and training to fight crimes and terrorism adding, “we will not allow anyone to silence the soul of the nation”.
Addressing the 14th Annual Awards ceremony of National Highways and Motorway Police, the Prime Minister fulfilled the long-standing demand of the National Highway and Motorway Police (NH&MP) for payment of risk allowance approved by the government in 2009.
Prime Minister said that terrorism poses a challenge to the entire country and expressed the confidence that the law-enforcement agencies will fulfil their responsibilities to protect the lives and property of the people.
“I want to make it clear here that the law-enforcement agencies and the people of Pakistan will not waiver to secure the future of our children”, he said.
Meanwhile, while presiding over a meeting of Federal Board of Revenue at the PM’s House on Monday, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf stated that widening the tax base and increasing tax to GDP ratio by raising the level of collection is imperative for sustainable development in the country.
The Chairman, FBR Ali Arshad Hakeem informed the meeting that tax collection has doubled since 2008 from Rs 1 trillion to Rs 2 trillion this year and also there has been an increase of 22 per cent in the tax revenues this year as compared to the last year.
Raja Pervaiz said that the self-respect of the taxpayers should be protected and a taxation structure aimed at enhancing revenues be streamlined in a manner where a culture of voluntary tax payment is promoted.
The menace of capital flight to tax havens has deprived the country of its true potential for development and progress, he added.
The Prime Minister said that demand for cars, luxury goods and housing reflected the availability of wealth in the country.
He urged the FBR to plug leakage of taxes and bring elite groups of the society into the tax net.
Earlier, appreciating the initiatives of National Highway and Motorway police to fight crimes and terrorism‚ he said that the government is committed to ensure safety and security of the people on the highways.
“I hope that the Motorway Police with intensive training and equipping it with state of the art technology will improve its performance even further”, PM said.
“The uniform application of law without any discrimination, good manners and respectful behaviour towards commuters by the personnel of National Highways and Motorway Police has provided it the moral high ground essential for compliance and making this force what it is today. The govt is committed to provide safety and security on highways to the people”, he added.
Acknowledging the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives in the line of duty, he said their sacrifices have only strengthened our resolve to fight crime and terrorism. “We will not allow anyone to silence the soul of the nation and stand united to safeguard our values, traditions, culture and our way of life”, he stated.
PM said it is important to educate the public on road safety and traffic rules.
A good number of accidents can be decreased and precious lives saved through effective public awareness campaign, he said.
“We need to understand that discipline on the roads reflects overall conduct and civilised behaviour of a nation. Though some progress seems to have been made in this regard, yet we still have a long way to go. I believe that National Highways and Motorway Police has a job cut out for itself to promote civilised behaviour on the roads. It is heartening to know that the rule of law practised by this force is bearing results. I am told that there has been a decrease in accident rates, traffic violations and serious crimes on our highways”, he said.
PM said there is a need to take strict action against those who put people’s lives at stake by resorting to overloading.
He expressed his pleasure that the force is expanding its coverage to other national roads like the RCD highway, Sukkur-Jaccobabad-Quetta road, Hassanabdal-Mansehra Expressway, Lyari Expressway and M-4 (Faisalabad-Khanewal).
The government believed that good governance in public service could only be maintained by upholding the principle of merit and providing level playing field to everyone.
Delivery of services could only be improved through a merit-based, transparent system, PM emphasised.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also directed the Capital Development Authority to allocate land for construction of police lines and said the government would also consider the demand for increase in strength of the force, owing to expansion of its area of coverage.
Prime Minister also distributed certificates and medals amongst the officers and jawans of the force for their outstanding performance.
Besides Minister for Communication Arbab Alamgir the event was also attended by Ministers for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah, Minister of State Communications Dost Muhammad Mazari and Chairman Pakistan Baitul Maal Zamurad Khan.