LONDON - Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has said that now there was no room for corruption and money-laundering in Pakistan. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan was determined to end corruption, promote good governance and rule of law in the country, he said.

The minister stated this while addressing a big gathering of British-Pakistani community here in the premises of Pakistan High Commission London on Friday evening. Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan to United Kingdom (UK) Muhammad Ayub also spoke on the occasion.

Fawad who is currently visiting UK thanked the overseas Pakistanis for playing an important role in supporting PTI and its leader Imran Khan in elections in Pakistan. He added as a result of the elections the people specially the overseas Pakistanis and middle class had supported and voted to PTI and its leader Imran Khan for change and rule of law. “This is also a success of the middle class in the country,” he remarked.

He said that it was the policy of PTI government to uproot corruption, eliminate money-laundering and ensure good governance and rule of law to achieve these objectives.

The minister said that PTI government was established as an evolution of middle-class against status quo and corrupt system. He further said that the incumbent government was bringing about paradigm shift where the powerful people and groups were being brought under the law. The groups and leaders who were corrupt and considered themselves above the law were arrested and sent behind the bars besides registering cases against them, he expressed.

Fawad said that now in the PTI government, powerful classes are facing the pressure of law. He said the government was determined to hold accountability from top to bottom whosoever would involve in corruption and corrupt practices. In the past, he said, no action was taken by the governments against the corrupt people and those committed even multiple murders. He added that his government would never compromise on corruption. “Our government is a scam-less dispensation as we have ensured good governance and rule of law in the country,” he said.

Highlighting Pakistan-India relations especially on Kashmir issue, the minister said that Pakistan wanted good relations with India and resolution of Kashmir issue peacefully through dialogue. He said that Pakistan and India had fought three wars on Kashmir with no solution. Pakistan had always made efforts to resolve all outstanding issues including core issue of Kashmir through dialogue with India but regretted that India had always rejected dialogue offers by Pakistan.

He mentioned the recent opening of Kartarpura corridor was meant to enable and facilitate the Sikh Yatrees from India to visit their religious places situated in Pakistan. “We will wait for outcome of Indian elections and we wait India to rethink its position on Kashmir and come to negotiating table to resolve the Kashmir dispute peacefully, he remarked.

The minister said that due to prudent economic policies of the present government, the workers remittance, and exports have increased. He added that Pakistan had arranged $12 billion to bridge the balance of payments and now the issue was resolved.

He said Pakistani workers’ remittances remained $20 billion per annum and the government wanted to tap its full potential by facilitating the overseas Pakistanis, encouraging them to avail official channels for money transaction. “We want to increase workers’ remittances to $30 billion per annum, besides providing incentives to export-oriented industries like textile, leather and sports goods for reducing trade deficit of the country in three years,” he remarked.

The minister said that security situation in the country has improved and foreign investors from USA, Japan and other countries have started bringing investments in various sectors in the country.

The minister said that Pakistan has great potential to boost tourism sector in the country. He said government also wanted to promote religious tourism in Pakistan. He said out of 12 highest mountain peaks, eight peaks were situated in Pakistan besides many historical places. The minister said that many countries including Saudi Arabia had also taken interest to participate in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and doing investments in various projects under the initiative including agriculture, tourism etc. “Our policies are directed towards poverty eradication, the top priority under Imran Khan’s vision.”

Fawad on the occasion assured the British Pakistanis that their problems would be considered seriously for resolution. He said that he has established a unit for overseas Pakistanis under a deputy secretary in the Ministry of Information to receive their complaints. He asked the British-Pakistanis that they could take benefit from this facility. He also called upon the overseas Pakistanis including British-Pakistanis to come forward and play their vital role through investing in their homeland taking optimum benefits from the investment opportunities being offered for the profitable investments in various sectors. He also invited them to come and invest in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) established for investors in an investment-friendly environment.

Replying to a question, the minister said that under the Constitution, though the dual nationals cannot contest elections but there was no discrimination between Pakistanis and overseas with regards to the rights and benefits enjoyed by them.