ISLAMABAD    -     Pakistan People’s Party yesterday said the new National Accountability Bureau chief was appointed after consensus between the Prime Minister and the opposition leader as required by the constitution. Speaking at a news conference here, PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi, who is also the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, said the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf was making issues out of non-issues. About PTI’s resignations, he said that resignations of the PTI members of the National Assembly (MNAs) were accepted at their own request but later they went to court and said they were not serious. He said that Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the floor of the house said that they want to resign now how he can deny his own statement. Faisal Kundi said that they are saying that “we are hiding from election but the fact is that they themselves are doing so and going to court for the cancellation of their resignation. However, the court has yet not issued any order about the cancellation of their resignations.” The SAPM said that PPP was ready for elections in the country, however, decision in this regard will be taken in accordance with the constitution. It is the duty of the Election Commission of Pakistan to announce date of elections.

Kundi termed PTI-led previous government responsible for worsening of economic situation in the country saying that we inherited devastated economy from PTI but “we have taken the responsibility to put the country back on track and we are committed at doing so.”

He said the PPP always respect courts and “we want to make Pakistan a country where the law is equal for everyone. We don’t want to make courts political.”

He said the beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) would get 25 per cent increase in quarterly installments from March as per the government efforts to extend relief to the masses of the country.

He said that BISP is providing relief to 8.9 million people across the country and decided to increase the number of quarterly installments keeping in view of the suffering of people of Pakistan owing to the current inflation.

He said that the government is also providing subsidies on essential food items through Utility Stores Corporation to the beneficiaries of BISP aiming to extend the maximum relief to the vulnerable segment of the society.

About the Dynamic Registry survey, Faisal Kundi said that survey has been inaugurated in all districts across the country including Gilgit- Baltistan and Kashmir to identify and register more deserving beneficiaries living below the poverty line.