Punjab governor rubbishes notion of midterm elections

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has rejected any chances of midterm elections, adding that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government will complete its constitutional term of five years.

Speaking to a media outlet on Wednesday, he said detractors of the PTI government lived in a fool's paradise and resorted to daydreaming of midterm elections.

To a question, the Punjab Governor said the government pursued a zero-tolerance policy on corruption. He added that all are equal in the eye of the law, while the government would not resort to any political victimisation.

Sarwar, while responding to another questions, said PTI Chairman Imran Khan supported the idea of indiscriminate accountability since the past 20 years. He added that looted money would be brought back to the country from foreign banks.

He said the government had formed a taskforce to retrieve looted money which was deposited in foreign lands, adding that the government had also signed protocols with countries like Great Britain and others in this regard. He said the government was committed to bring all those to book who had looted precious resources of the country.

About the economy, he said the government was designing a comprehensive policy for its restoration and it would adopt tangible measures to put it on stronger lines. He continued that the government would overcome the financial challenges shortly.

However, he outlined it was difficult to grapple with the problems created during the past 70 years by different political regimes. Sarwar further stated the government was preparing business-friendly policies for indigenous and foreign investors.

To another query, he said the government was all set to introduce one-window operations (OWO) system for foreign investors, adding the PTI government was committed to bringing an end to red tapism in the country. He said the business-friendly policies of the government lured foreign investors to the country. He claimed the government had introduced various business-friendly initiatives in the power sector and these would enhance exports, besides providing jobs to the unemployed.

Responding to a question, he said the centralization of powers was a death knell to economic activity in any society. He continued that the PTI government believed in the transfer of power to the grassroots level.

The Punjab Governor said that the amended local government law would soon be introduced and provide powers to the representatives.

To a question, he said that the government has involved with NGOs for the provision of clean drinking water to citizens. He added filtration plants were being installed in jails and police lines across the country.