PM says corrupt junta always ruined societies, countries

Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday said that a corrupt society could not make progress whereas those countries made economic strides that had eliminated this curse from their societies.

The prime minister said there was rule of law in the prosperous countries. “Corruption at the low level did not bankrupt a country, it has always been the ruling elite that ruined the countries through their teeming corruption,” he added.

He said in order to save their skins, the corrupt junta would first weaken the anti-graft bodies, resulting in the destruction of a country.

The UN secretary general formed a fact-finding panel as to why the poor countries were mired in poverty, he said, adding, the panel submitted a report indicating that about 1000 billion dollars were being siphoned off from the poor countries to the rich countries through money laundering tactics by the powerful and corrupt ruling elite.

The prime minister was responding to public queries in a live Tv programme, “Aapka Wazir-e- Azam Aap kai sath.”

The prime minister further termed the government’s efforts against corruption and for the rule of law as ‘the biggest Jihad’.

He said there would be no two separate sets of laws for the powerful and for the poor.

The prime minister asked the people to fully cooperate with the government in this regard as they wanted to make the people free from the clutches of injustices.

“We want the country to stand on its feet. It should not seek loans or beg for assistance, and should not take part in the other’s war in return for money,” he added. The prime minister said they wanted the nation to become self-reliant.

“It is the fight for the future of Pakistan and fight for the rule of law. We are striving for the rule of law for the future of our generations,” he stressed.

The prime minister said the powerful corrupt elements wanted NRO and wanted deal as the one extended by Musharraf. Such elements had been blackmailing that otherwise, they would pull down the government.

The prime minister referred to chaotic situation in South Africa where authorities took action over Zuma’s corruption, their former ruler.

He opined that in the Western democracy, an accused could not resist accountability.

The prime minister responding to a question, further referred to British rule of Indo-Pak, as they took away about 24 GDP of Mughal empire with them swelling their coffins.

The two families had accumulated pelf through corruption. For the first time in the country’s history, NAB had arrested the powerful people, he added.

He said that the first principle in the Riasat-e-Madina was the rule of law where even the Caliphs were answerable to ordinary people.

The prime minister said in the initial stages, Muslims faced hardships in Madina, but later they achieved remarkable successes and became the world leaders.

He said his government was striving to introduce such a system of public welfare and rule of law in the country.

In the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Gilgit Baltistan, they had given health cards facility to each family. Each family was entitled to one million rupees free of cost medical treatment.

The prime minister termed it a revolution, ‘the biggest step ever taken in the country’s history’.

Moreover, he said the government was mulling to expand the network of Panahgah (shelter homes). Currently, 22 panahgah were catering to the needs of labourers and daily workers whereas 11 more would be established soon.

The prime minister said even in countries like US, homeless people didn’t have such facilities and they were forced to live under open sky.