PDM will die of its internal differences: PM

Imran says no one will escape accountability; receives briefing on PIA issues

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that the 11-party opposition alliance – the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – would end only due to its internal differences and reiterated that now no one would escape accountability.

Chairing a meeting of the party spokespersons to discuss the current political situation, the prime minister noted that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had agreed to open balloting for the Senate in their ‘Charter of Democracy’.

According to sources, the spokespersons were briefed on Article 23 of the Charter of Democracy, which stated that the PML-N and the PPP agreed on open ballot for Senate elections and now both these parties were going against their own charter and opposing open balloting.

Imran said that the PDM movement would die of its own internal differences, adding that those who had threatened the government with resignations from the assemblies “are now running away” from resignations.

He stressed that he himself presented everything in the court and now the opposition leaders should also respond to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). “No one can escape accountability,” he said, adding that PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman was not going to NAB because he has nothing to say.

The meeting was also briefed about the ongoing operation against land grabbers. Announcing the continuation of operations against the land mafia, the prime minister said that it was learned during the operation that there were large occupation mafias in the PML-N.

PIA issues

Meanwhile, Imran also chaired another high-level meeting on the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and received briefings on the steps taken for the improvement of the national flag carrier and the reorganisation strategy for it.

The meeting was attended by Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Adviser Dr Ishrat Hussain, Senator Noman Wazir Khattak, Aviation Secretary Shaukat Ali, PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Air Marshal (retd) Arshad Malik, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) director general and others.

Imran termed the PIA a national asset. He said that the past of the national airline was glorious but the national flag carrier needed to make its operations profitable and bring its services up to international standards in order to regain its position at the international level.

Dr Ishrat Hussain briefed the meeting on the reorganisation strategy for the PIA, which he said, would not only improve the financial position of the airlines but also increase its lucrative routes. Malik apprised the prime minister of the steps taken for the improvement of the PIA and their positive impact.

The prime minister directed the officials concerned to implement the PIA reorganisation strategy after completing the consultation process with all the stakeholders as soon as possible.