Govt ended corruption as promised: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday that he had already fulfilled his pre-election promise of eradicating corruption from the country in 90 days within the stipulated time after coming into power.

A day after Pakistan slipped down on the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2021, Imran said that no scandal of financial corruption emerged during the incumbent government’s tenure, whereas scandals like Panama Papers surfaced during previous government’s rule.

“The promise to end corruption in 90 days has already been fulfilled,” a party leader, who wishes not to be named, quoted Prime Minister Imran as saying, while addressing a meeting of the spokespersons for the ruling party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

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Subsequently, while taking briefing on the Transparency International’s report, Imran directed the party spokespersons to apprise people about the corruption cases of the Sharif family, especially, former Punjab’s chief minister Shehbaz Sharif and his alleged involvement in money laundering cases.

The sources said that PM Imran also said that the people should be told how Sharif family carried out money laundering in the name of peons and clerks. Apart from Shehbaz’s cases, the premier was also briefed on the provision of health cards.

During the meeting, sources said, the information minister also gave a briefing on the TI report, saying that there was no mention of the financial corruption in it and only issues related to rule of law were highlighted.

During the meeting, the prime minister directed the party leaders to also inform the people about the economic indicators and the provision of a major facility like health card to the masses. Through the health card, he said, every family would get Rs1 million health insurance.

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Imran also said that reports of international organisations lauding Pakistan’s performance on the economy should also be highlighted.

Meanwhile, the prime minister launched the Naya Pakistan Qaumi Sehat Card, a phenomenal health insurance scheme promised by the PTI in its election manifesto.

Under the scheme, all households of Islamabad, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Tharparkar region of Sindh would be provided free medical treatment up to Rs1 million in a year at the government and private hospitals.

At the launching ceremony in the federal capital, the prime minister distributed the health insurance cards to the beneficiaries. Speaking on the occasion, he termed the facility “an ambitious programme” to facilitate the masses across-the-board.

“Universal health coverage is available in a few countries across the world,” Imran told the ceremony. In Pakistan, he added, the launching of such a facility was a “landmark step” to accommodate the people bearing the burden of expensive medical treatment.

Imran said that nowhere in the world the citizens get the kind of health insurance “that our government is going to provide through health cards”. He added: “We will make Pakistan a welfare state in which the state takes responsibility for the poor.”

The prime minister said that the Qaumi Sehat Card was in line with the government’s goals of a socio-welfare state. “Also, the national security is in fact linked with the welfare of people who are made stakeholders in the interest of state,” he added.

“This will prove as a defining moment in improvement of healthcare services in Pakistan,” Imran said, adding that the health card was a defining moment in encouraging private sector to join the medical network, especially in the rural areas.

He said Rs450 billion would be spent on health insurance programme. He mentioned that the government was establishing five mother and child hospitals in view of the high mortality rate of neonatal and pregnancy complications.

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The prime minister said the Rehmatul Lil Alameen Authority would also highlight the way of life of the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him), who emphasised on empathy for the poor and deserving.

On the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that 56 hospitals had been empaneled in the province to provide medical insurance facilities in 36 districts. He added that the entire population of Punjab would get medical insurance by March 31.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said the health insurance facility was being given to the citizens of the country for in-patient medical treatment for several diseases related to heart, cancer, neurological surgeries, accident, trauma and others.

A special song prepared by the Information Ministry titled ‘Khushion Ka Jahan Pakistan Sub K Liye’ [Pakistan, the place of happiness for all] sung by renowned singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was played on the occasion.