ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Sunday said Pakistan would come out of the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as it has complied with almost all points in the global watchdog’s action plan.
Addressing a press conference here, the minister said Pakistan has complied with 24 out of 27 points of FATF and it would come out of its greylist. The remaining three points would also be cleared soon and the country would succeed in exiting the FATF’s grey list during its next meeting, the minister opined.
Regarding the Senate elections on Islamabad seat, the minister said Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh would succeed on it as he worked hard in the economic team of Imran Khan to stabilise the economy.
Sheikh Rashid said Hafeez Shaikh studied from the best universities of the world, including Oxford and Cambridge, and earned a doctorate degree in economics. The current account deficit of $20 billion was converted into surplus and the exchange rate also improved due to the efforts of Hafeez Shaikh, he said, adding that his forefathers also remained active in politics in their times.
After winning the Senate elections, he (Hafeez) would be in a better position to contribute productively to the prosperity of the country.
He said Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Yousuf Raza Gilani tried to protect the corruption of former president Asif Ali Zardari and was disqualified. Gilani, he said, gave the necklace donated by Turkey’s first lady in 2010 for flood victims to his wife which was later returned after the issue was highlighted.
Sheikh Rasheed termed the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Sri Lanka as `historic’ and said that Imran Khan offered a role for improving the ties between China and the United States.
He maintained the civil-military relations are exemplary and precedent has been set for better understanding between both of them in future to put the country on the right track of development.
He stressed that Pakistan under the leadership of Imran Khan is enjoying good relations with the United States, China, Russian, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. Peace in Afghanistan is very much crucial and Pakistan always wished stability there, he added.
The minister for interior further stated Pakistan has got a significant position among the comity of nations as naval exercises of around 40 countries have been conducted here.
He said a successful discussion with India would only be possible when India restored Jammu and Kashmir’s status and included it on the agenda of talks. Setting aside the Kashmir issue would be disloyalty, he added.
The minister stated that the Armed Forces and the people of Pakistan had rendered great sacrifices for the country and no one would be allowed to undermine it.
Recalling the successful operation by Pakistan Air Force on February 27, 2019, he said, “Our great force achieved victory and foiled the nefarious designs of India on that day.”
The minister said the Supreme Court’s decision regarding Senate elections would be exemplary. He added adjustment on Punjab seats in Senate was made as per proportionate of parties’ seats in the Punjab legislature and nothing unusual would happen in other provinces and Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Communication and Postal Services Murad Saeed has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) believes in transparency in elections and will emerge victorious in upcoming Senate polls.
Talking to the media persons on Sunday, Murad Saeed said that PTI tabled a constitutional amendment in the parliament to change the system of secret balloting to open vote to end horse-trading and sale-purchase of voters, but the opposition did not cooperate in getting the law changed.
He added that this has exposed the opposition that it is not serious in bringing transparency in the election process.
The minister said the people of Pakistan have rejected the negative politics of the opposition in the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) elections, and by staying away from its public rallies in Lahore and Peshawar. He said that the opposition is trying to get NRO from the government, but Prime Minister Imran Khan will never give them any relief in this regard.
Murad Saeed said the incumbent government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan is committed to ending horse-trading and the use of money in the Senate elections. He maintained that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto desired to bring transparency in elections process but, unfortunately, her political party has overlooked the matter.
He said PTI had expelled 20 of its MPAs after they were found guilty of taking money in the 2018 Senate polls. He said the opposition is involved in money laundering, corruption and illegal occupation on state lands.
He stressed the incumbent government has taken various steps for the welfare of the masses. The minister said health cards, Ehsaas program, Langarkhanas and low-cost housing will benefit the under-privileged class of the country.
Similarly, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan stands firm with his unwavering commitment to transparency in the electoral process.
In a tweet on Sunday, the information minister said that the opposition parties are against the open ballots as they want to perpetuate a corrupt electoral system in the country.
He said the entire nation knows who stood on which side in history on the important issue of transparency in the electoral system.
Shibli Faraz said the opposition supports the system of rigging and is a big hurdle in the way of transparency. He said that the ruling PTI has transformed the demand for transparency in the system and eradication of corruption in the country into a movement. He said Imran Khan will not back out from his struggle to achieve the goal of transparency in the electoral process.
