LAHORE - Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday forewarned the nation about the impending harsh decisions his government might be forced to take to overcome the financial crisis, created by alleged corruption of the previous governments.

“Under the prevailing conditions, the government has only two options to cope with the situation: Either we bring the looted money back to the country or increase the prices of utilities. There is no other way,” he said while addressing a news conference here at Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

It was Imran Khan’s first formal press conference after becoming prime minister. He was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Federal Information Minister Fawad Ch and Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood.

“If we don’t raise the prices [of utilities now], how can we pay back our external debt. Seemingly, there is no other way but to increase the prices till the things get better and real change comes,” he observed, adding that it was also one of the options to go to the IMF for loan.

“But negotiations are also underway with some countries to keep their dollars in State Bank of Pakistan to increase our foreign exchange reserves,” he said, adding that country was passing through difficult times mainly due to corruption of the previous governments.

Giving details, Imran said that Pakistan’s external debt in 2008 stood at Rs 6,000 billion, which rose to Rs15,000 billion in 2013. “Now it is touching the figuring of 28,000 billion in 2018. This means the situation is highly alarming.”

Similarly, the current account deficit was $2 billion in 2008 and now it had soared to $16 billion, he revealed. He said that previous government paid a circular debt of Rs480 billion in 2013 and now it had touched the figure of Rs1,200 billion.

Moreover, the prime minister said, the government was facing huge deficit in gas sector which was zero in 2013. It has surged up to Rs157 billion in last five years. Steel Mills’ deficit amounted to Rs187 billion while the Railways and PIA were also facing a deficit of 37 and Rs360 billion respectively, he said.

Khan said state institutions were running in losses due to corruption. “I had been saying this since 22 years that country’s biggest problem is corruption. Successive governments borrowed money but no one thought of paying it back,” he affirmed.

The PM said that steps were being taken to streamline affairs in FBR (Federal Board of Revenue). The premier informed that 70,000 out of 220 million people pay income tax in Pakistan.

He re-emphasised said the country was facing the worst financial crisis mainly due to corruption of the previous rulers, and the only way to overcome the situation was to bring the looted money back.

“As many as 10,000 properties of Pakistanis abroad are being investigated. Pakistanis purchased properties worth Rs900 billion in Dubai alone in the past five years,” he informed, adding that 300 people have been issued notices in this regard.

Khan said accounts worth Rs170 billion have been detected by the Federal Investigation Agency which belong to the ordinary persons like vendors and small shopkeepers. The FIA is investigating and this would also bring some money to the national exchequer, he said.

The prime minister made it clear that government will not spare anybody who had committed corruption. He said they had limited options available to pay back the external debt which had touched the figure of $95 billion over the year.

He informed that government will soon introduce whistleblowers act and protection of witness act to unearth corruption, and to reward and protect those who provide information to the departments concerned. The informers will get 20 percent of the recovered money.

In a lighter vein, the premier said that journalists had the best chance to earn 2 to 3 billion rupees by exposing corruption as they would also be given 20 percent of the recovered money.

He said 4,647 kanals land worth 200 to 300 billion rupees had been recovered from Islamabad alone. Without naming anybody, the PM said that 2,400 kanals of land has been recovered from a single politician of Punjab.

Prime Minister Khan said local government law for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be finalised in a couple of days.

To a question he said there was union of corrupt politicians who get united when the government takes action against them. He alleged the PPP and the PML-N were united on the one point agenda of corruption.

“Whenever the government takes action against the corrupt elements they say democracy is in danger,” he said, adding that democracy could not be strengthened without accountability.

“There will be no NRO and I will spare nobody,” he vowed, adding that government will bring back Rs300 billion looted by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. “If they want to protest they would be provided container and they could also use the forum of [National] Assembly.”

Imran said former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has been arrested by NAB in a corruption case, was trying to become Nelson Mandela by accusing the government of political victimisation. He said these cases were instituted 10 months ago and Sharifs could not blackmail the government through protests.

He said democracy was not in danger when wife of ex-prime minister of Malaysia was arrested. Similarly, many ministers and high ups in China were prosecuted on corruption charges but nobody raised alarm over it, he said.

Khan said he himself faced 33 cases and satisfied the Supreme Court about his sources of income which he had brought from abroad.

The PM said that federal government had set up Asset Recovery Unit at the PM House to recover the looted wealth stashed abroad. He said MoUs were being signed with different countries including Switzerland in this regard.

He asked NAB chairman to speed up action against the corrupt elements. He said he would provide all possible resources which the bureau might need to discharge its duties.

Khan however said he was astonished by NAB chairman’s statement that he would take action against certain politicians after the elections. He said NAB was not directly working under him; otherwise, he would have taken swift action against the corrupt.

The prime minister said FIA, FBR and IB [Intelligence Bureau] were directly under him and they were taking quick actions. He said results of present government’s policies would appear after 100 days. He said Pakistan had great potential to acquire be self-sufficiency. Balochistan province alone had Rs460 billion worth of minerals, he revealed.

Replying to a question, Imran Khan rejected speculations about changing the chief minister by saying that Sardar Usman Buzdar would be permanent chief minister and no other politician would replace him as long as PTI government in Punjab was intact.

The prime minister was all praise for the chief minister and called him a “down to earth” politician who was available to everybody round the clock. He said Buzdar was name of change.

“For the first time, Punjab has a chief minister who is from the less developed area of Punjab. It is a big change that Punjab chief minister will not go abroad for treatment. He will improve health delivery system in hospitals and provide clean drinking water to people.”

The PM pointed out that Usman Buzdar was from a village which did not have healthcare facilities despite having a population of 2.8 million.

Imran said he was ready to give a guarantee that Buzdar will not do any corruption. Quoting Buzadr, the PM said that a lady approached the chief minister for help and the police was there in 30 minutes.

 

 

Imran warns

of price hike