No investment amid chaos, warns Abbasi

APP chief says rule of law essential for progress

KARACHI:

Awaam Pakistan Party (APP) chief Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Thursday that no country could attract investment amid political chaos and in the absence of the rule of law, emphasising that no improvement should be expected until the country was governed under the Constitution.

Speaking at the 'Meet the Press' programme at the Karachi Press Club (KPC), Abbasi condemned India's actions after Pahalgam attack, particularly the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. "No one could be allowed to stop water. We have to become one nation and confront the Indian aggression," he said.

The former prime minister dilated on several issues facing the country – from canals controversy to the law and order situation – and criticised the federal government's performance. He also spoke about the infrastructure and services delivery issues in Karachi.

"Karachi is the jugular vein of Pakistan, if this does not work, then Pakistan will not work," Abbasi, who served as the prime minister for year in 2017-18, told the reporters. "The conditions that will be in Karachi, will be the same in the whole of Pakistan."

He said that 70 of the population of Karachi did not have access to tap water. "Where in the world water is supplied through tankers. It means that the required amount of water is available but the people are deprived of tap-water facility," he said.

On the canals issue, he said that the issued should have been raised in the Senate and the National Assembly. "Sindh is in protest today, which will impact the entire country." On Balochistan, he said that the solution to its problem would be found only through talks and listening to its people's concerns.

Abbasi said that everywhere in the world laws were enacted for media freedom, therefore, "today is not the time to restrict the media" by resorting to legislation. "Today, new provinces are needed. Reforms are needed, but unfortunately, reforms were not being discussed.