MULTAN - Former foreign minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Vice Chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that the country badly needs change as the government completely failed to maintain law and order.
Addressing the participants of a function held here on Monday, he said that the federal government should resign as it failed to protect the life and property of citizens. He added that the ongoing bloodshed forced the citizens to take to the roads along with their women and children as no progress was made for combating terrorism.
He expressed serious concerns on the process of nomination of caretaker government, saying there would a big question mark on the transparency and credibility of the elections held under a caretaker administration nominated by just two parties under a mutual understanding.
Referring to national economy, he said that it witnessed worst-ever decline while IMF also refused to lend money. "But the rulers are still striving to save just their rule," he maintained. He said that the rulers left no stone unturned to ensure their success in the upcoming elections but did nothing for the public. He said that it was the voters who could get the nation rid of corrupt and ineligible rulers.
He said that the performance of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was dismaying as it completely failed to implement code of ethics in by-polls. Drawing the attention of ECP towards release of development funds and new appointments in government departments, he said that the government used these tactics to buy the opinion of voters even before polls. He claimed that all the violations were conveyed to the ECP but no action was taken against the violators. "It's a big question mark on the performance and independence of ECP," he said.
Earlier, a number of notables from Arrayen, Jam, Rana, Chutta, Moghal, Makole, Joya, Qureshi and Thaheem families announced joining the PTI and quit the PML-N and the PPP.
Functioning of new emergency at MIC block afoot: The new Emergency Block of Ch Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology will become functional either by the end of next month or start of March, disclosed Punjab Minister for Auqaf Haji Ehsan Uddin Qureshi. Talking to the patients during a visit to the Cardiology Institute here on Monday, the minister added that the new block would offer relief to the patients and mitigate their problems. He said that the Punjab Government was determined to ensure availability of all out facilities at all health outlets of Punjab so that common and poor citizens could benefit from them. The minister met with the patients and issued orders for the solution of their problems.
Meanwhile, addressing participants of a luncheon held in his honour by Registrar Zakariya University, Haji Ehsan Uddin Qureshi said that the Punjab Government launched historic initiatives for the students as promotion of education stood at the top of its priority. He added that the college and university students were given laptops and scholarships on merit.