ATTOCK
Better relations between Pakistan and India are a need of the hour but the relations must be on the basis of equality, said Rehmat Khan Wardag, the central president of Tehrik-e-Istiqlal Pakistan.
"Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to India where he participated in the oath-taking ceremony of Narendar Modi, his counterpart, was praise-worthy and a wise decision but India could not prove herself a good host," he said talking to this scribe.
He said the prime minister's visit to India reflected good intentions as the latter wanted better relations between Pakistan and India. He stressed that both the countries must sign a no-war pact for a period of at least 20 years. He said Indian Prime Minister Modi should also visit Pakistan and start a new era of better relations.
Wardag said, "At present, both the countries are spending their maximum resources on defence. These resources could be utilised for the prosperity of the people. The present is not the era of battles and wars rather it is of strong economies. In Afghanistan, two super powers (Russia and the US) have spent maximum resources, faced worst defeats and the outcome is nothing."
For economic stability, he said stressed the construction of big water reservoirs.
He demanded that the government should act upon "Water Vision 2016" and immediately start the construction of Bhasha, Munda, Tangi, Kalabagh and Akhori dams. He said the KPK chief minister had also given green signal to build Kalabagh Dam which was a good omen.
He said since the partition, India has built 62 dams while Pakistan built only one so it is a matter of great concern. Criticising the present rulers, he said that they had their assets abroad and asked others to invest in Pakistan, which was beyond understanding. He said a blue-eyed person had been appointed as the chairman National Accountability Bureau.
He said that the meeting of a group of politicians in London was of paramount importance so the government should consider it seriously. He said the overseas Pakistanis send more than 60 billion dollars annually but they do not have the right to vote while those looting the country and shifting their assets abroad become rulers.
He said the present government system had become obsolete. To a question, he said that Geo TV was working on the foreign agenda and leaving no stone unturned to tarnish the image of Pak Army and ISI.
He also condemned the TV channel for airing blasphemous content and demanded action against it as per the law.
HEC vows higher edu of 5,000 Balochs: Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Mukhtar Ahmad has said that the government allocated an amount of Rs1.2 billion to bear the higher education expenses of over 5,000 students of Baluchistan.
Talking to newsmen here, he said that under the scheme, talented students of universities would be provided with laptops for which Rs5 billion had been allocated. Besides, he said, students would also be offered loans to complete their studies.
He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was taking keen interest to facilitate the students. He said that the government would pay all the expenses of the students of Balochistan, FATA, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and southern districts of Punjab including Attock. To a question, the chairman said that 300 students of Attock were also included in the beneficiaries.