Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday, terming the 'corrupt mafia' the biggest the impediment to the country's progress, said the year 2020 would prove to be tough on the plunderers of national exchequer. "Pakistan is set to witness an era of prosperity and development in 2020, while the corrupt should be ready for a difficult times ahead," the prime minister said in his address to a public rally here at the ground-breaking of Jalalpur Canal.
He said no country could make progress unless corruption, which was highly detrimental to institutions as it involved money ought to be spent on education and health of the common man, was not eliminated. He mentioned that during the last 10 years, corrupt politicians played havoc with public money that led to currency devaluation and inflation.
"We have no personal enmity with the corrupt mafia, who get united whenever caught. Bigger the dacoit, more the hue and cry," he said. The prime minister asked the nation to support him in his fight against corruption and collectively defeat the mafia involved in looting the national exchequer.
He gave reference of the accountability systems of China and the United States of America for not sparing the culprits of corruption. Imran Khan said the government at its inception faced difficult economic situation in the shape of three times trade deficit, currency devaluation and high import price of petroleum, gas and edible oil.
However, the country at present had gained economic stability with the rupee getting stronger while exports, investments and remittances increasing. The year 2020 would also be a year of job opportunities for Pakistanis, he told the gathering.
"I always tell my nation to have faith. With the Grace of Almighty Allah, we have started coming out of the crises," he said. The prime minister mentioned that Pakistan is blessed to have fertile land, and gold and copper reserves. However, he added, that such potential could not be exploited due to apathy of rulers in the past.
About the 114-kilometre-long Jalalpur Canal to be built with a cost of Rs 32.7 billion, he said it would facilitate some 400,000 people residing in 80 villages of districts Jhelum and Khushab, by bringing 172,000 acres cultivable land under the irrigation system.
Imran Khan said he was aware of the difficulties faced by the people of area, including unavailability of drinking water, and lauded Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for finalizing the project pending for the last 20 years.
Chief Minister Buzdar said the project, which would complete in five years, would have 20 water storage ponds, 30 distributaries and 17 drinking outlets. He expressed the confidence that the Jalalpur Canal would facilitate the people of adjoining areas with more opportunities for land cultivation.
Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the project would prove to be a milestone in connecting the areas of Jhelum and Pin Dadan Khan through the irrigation network for their betterment.-APP
INP adds: "Some people [political opponents] fear that if this government succeeds, they will go to jail," he said. "Some journalists made money and derived other benefits from the old system are also against our government."
He said that "a bad time is about to come" for the corrupt mafia in the country. The prime minister took an indirect dig at opposition leaders by saying that those who had gathered at the container against him to save their looted wealth will once again feel the sting as the government will take action against them.
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