Opposition wants NRO in exchange for its support of FATF legislation: Shibli Faraz

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Senator Shibli Faraz on Monday said opposition, while putting aside the national interest, wanted to get "NRO" (National Reconciliation Ordinance) in exchange for its support of legislation related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Addressing a press conference here, he said while opposing FATF legislation, the opposition did everything to push Pakistan into the black list of FATF.

Pakistan could not afford to get in the black list of FATF, he said adding, "We have to pass these FATF bills to protect Pakistan from financial difficulties and people from the impact of inflation."

Opposition wanted NRO by changing the law and by interpreting the law in its own favour, he said.

Shibli said it was still hoped that opposition would support the FATF legislation. "I urge members of Parliament to keep in view the interest of the country."

The opposition parties were raising hue and cry as they wanted that nobody should ask them about their theft, he stressed.

The minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan was constantly in touch with the authorities on the situation in Karachi and would visit the city in the current week.

Our sympathies were with the people of Karachi, he added.

He said the prime minister talked to chief minister Sindh and assured of his cooperation.

He said a three point programme given by the Prime Minister would be implemented in coordination with the Sindh government to resolve issues in Karachi.

He said the federal government never did politics on the issues of Karachi but unfortunately Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was doing so on the present situation.

PPP leadership was holding press conferences and today its leader Qamar Zaman Kaira held a press conference on the situation in Karachi, he continued.

Whenever there was an issue of national importance, the top leadership of PPP disappeared from the country, he remarked.

Shibli said Imran Khan would not go along with those people in the country who were rejected in the elections on August 18, 2018 and looted the country.

Imran Khan was consistently working for the welfare of people especially for poor and middle class, he added.

All his initiatives were for poor in the Naya Pakistan, he observed.

Shibli said the government in Sindh took trillions of rupees but the province miserably lacked infrastructure, roads, health and education facilities and the law and order situation was also bad.

He said if the federal government would give more money to the Sindh government it would go into their personal bank accounts.

Opposition had only one agenda and it was trying that the government should not succeed in resolving problems of the people, he added. "We exposed the reality of the opposition before the people."

Shibli said opposition's All Parties Conference would not be held as the opposition leaders were not sincere with each other.

Imran Khan was taking Pakistan out of difficulties with determination, however the opposition was not interested in the welfare of people, he asserted.

The minister said no doubt there were problems of inflation but eventually the government would overcome the challenges.

Indicators of the economy were positive and economic activity was being revived and the good days would come. He assured that prices of sugar and wheat would come down with the import of these commodities.

He said the government had almost overcome the issue of coronavirus but still care was needed to stop spread of the disease.