Farrukh brands previous rulers 'national criminals'

Terming the previous rulers ‘national criminals, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib has reiterated the government's stance that the ruling party will not grant NRO to them, a reference to former president Pervez Musharraf-era political amnesty through the now-defunct National Reconciliation Ordinance in 2007.

The state minister was addressing a ceremony in Faisalabad.

Farrukh said the government was bringing monthly direct subsidy and Kamyab Pakistan Program (KPP), adding that efforts will be made to put a minimum economic burden on the common man.

“The government has given a subsidy of Rs24 billion to the Utility Stores Corporation in a year for providing quality and necessities to the people. Meanwhile, a targeted subsidy process is being launched to provide affordable necessities to 12.4 million deserving families. After the Kamyab Jawan program, the provision of interest-free loans of Rs500,000 under the Kamyab Pakistan Program will have a positive impact on the economy.”

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"Our region is backward compared to other areas. People here live with limited resources, therefore, we are trying to provide all possible relief to them.

Setting up of new utility stores is a link in the same chain, he maintained and regretted that earlier banks used to give loans only to mills, factories, industrialists and big businessmen.

“For the first time in the history of the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged banks to provide loans to the underprivileged,” the minister said.

He also mentioned that the government is well aware of the problems of the people, adding that the supply of health facility cards has been started and by the end of December this year every family in Punjab will be provided health facility card which will enable them and their family to get treatment of up to one million rupees.

“This is the concept of the state of Madina which PM Imran always floated,” Farrukh Habib said.

He said that previous governments had set up expensive power plants in the cycle of commission for personal gain but did nothing to improve the transmission system, he added, “So now whether we use electricity or not we have to pay Rs1500 billion every year".

But on the contrary, he added, the prime minister initiated projects for solar energy and hydel power to generate cheap electricity.

These dams will generate 10,000 MW of cheap electricity. Besides, water will also be stored to irrigate 13 million acres, Farrukh claimed.