Mafia will never succeed in getting NRO: PM

Commends K-P govt for completing 2,506 flats for families of industrial workers and labour complex project in Peshawar

PESHAWAR:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that the “mafias” had gathered on one platform and were trying to seek an NRO from him but his government would never grant relief to the “corrupt”.

“Supremacy of law is the first principle. Pakistan was destroyed due to separate laws for the rich and poor. In Pakistan, the poor goes to the jail while the rich gets an NRO,” he said.

PM Imran made these remarks while addressing an inauguration ceremony of the newly-constructed 2,056 residential flats and labour complex project.

The scheme had been completed at a cost of Rs5.93 billion for industrial workers under PM Naya Pakistan Housing Programme in Regi Lalma, Peshawar.

The premier maintained that the mafias had gathered and were trying to seek relief from him in their corruption cases.

"The corrupt mafia has again joined hands to protect their plunder and corruption but I will not give them NRO, come what may," he said, adding that the nation had knowledge of the corrupt elements that escaped to London in a bid to protect themselves.

He stressed that rule of law, investment in human resources and people's socioeconomic empowerment, was imperative to ensure robust progress and steady economic development in the country.

“Pakistan can achieve remarkable success in all the fields by strictly adhering to the principles that formed the foundation of Riyast-e-Madina which brought positive revolution, leading to emergence of Muslims in the world.”

The PM said that the PTI-led government was striving for the uplift of the downtrodden and poor segment and had launched the landmark Universal Sehat Insurance programme to provide free medical services to people.

“We have not thought of the next elections but the nation’s future. [We] have taken the responsibility of our vulnerable segments [of society]. After five years, [I] want to see how we have elevated this segment,” he said.

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“Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is the first province that launched the flagship project of universal health coverage programme under which its every resident, having Computerized National Identity Card, can avail free treatment of up to Rs1 million in any part of the country.”

The premier said that the Sehat Card Plus programme had brought about a revolution in health sector in K-P by benefiting a large number of people who could not afford expensive treatment.

“Sehat Card Plus is an example to encourage the private sector to establish quality hospitals in cities and villages besides bringing significant improvement in current healthcare system.”

He referred to a recently published report of the UNDP that pointed out significant decrease in poverty and gap between the rich and poor besides enhanced development of human resources in K-P after 2013, and stated that it spoke of the success of the PTI government reforms and goal-oriented policies.

As a result, PTI had achieved a two-thirds majority in K-P during the last general election that was unprecedented in the provincial history, he added.

The premier emphasized that provision of low-cost housing facilities to poor segment of society was among the top priorities of the government.

He congratulated the K-P government for completing the long awaited 2,506 residential flats for families of industrial workers and labour complex project in Regi Lalma.

He said banks had been directed to provide loans for construction of houses to people on easy terms and conditions and added that it would also give a boost to the construction industry and give the poor, labourers and common man a “chance to change their own destiny”.

PM Imran said he would direct the Naya Pakistan Housing Authority to partner with the K-P government for utilization of vacant and unproductive lands in K-P for construction of low-cost housing units for the poor segment of the society.
With input from APP