Vows to help Pakistan stand on its feet
• Urges world to back inclusive govt in Afghanistan for regional peace
ISLAMABAD: While proudly presenting “achievements” of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led coalition government over the past three years, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday vowed to help the country stand on its feet with dignity through progress and self-sustainment.
In an hour-long speech at the launch of the three-year performance report of his government, the prime minister said on assumption of power in August 2018, the PTI faced numerous ‘inherited challenges’ including financial instability, poverty, and inadequate education and health facilities.
But currently there were several feathers in the cap of his government, particularly tackling the challenge of Covid-19 through its ‘smart lockdown strategy’, he said, adding that Pakistan had been recently ranked by The Economist as the ‘third-best performing country’ for handling the pandemic.
When we came to power current account deficit was $20 billion but today it has declined to $1.8bn. In 2018 foreign reserves were $16.4bn which are now over $27bn. Total tax collection in the previous government was Rs3,800bn and now it is Rs4,700bn. Similarly, foreign remittances were $19.9bn in 2018 and now they are $29.4bn,” he said.
“We will have to make Pakistan stand on its own feet and will not let this country be used by anyone for anyone else’s war,” PM Khan emphasised.
The launching ceremony, which was held at Jinnah Convention Centre, was attended by the four governors, chief ministers of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly, federal cabinet members, parliamentarians and PTI youth.
At the ceremony, federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry presented the Report 2018-21, which has been compiled by the ministry, to the premier.
