ZIARAT: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth estimated at around 4% during the current fiscal (2020-21), the country had been steered out of economic hardships and was set to achieve further growth in the coming year.
“I have good news to share with you that the country is coming out of economic hardships. The GDP growth is estimated at around 4% and has been made public,” Imran Khan said while speaking to a gathering here at Quaid’s residency.
The Prime Minister regretted that the opposition parties, which have been claiming about the government’s failure for the last two and half years, were now disputing the GDP growth figure.
“In fact, the opposition parties wanted the present government to fail in economic terms, as they feared that if the government succeeds, their politicking will end,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister said that “Since the present government came to power, the opposition parties were giving deadlines for the end of government sometimes in three months or by December 31 etc. But I am worried about the opposition that what will they do now?.”
He expressed his belief that the country will achieve further economic growth during the next fiscal year. “Pakistan will go further up [in economic terms] during our next government,” he maintained.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said the present government, despite the economic restraints due to the debt burden it inherited and the fact that there was coalition government in the province, was spending much in Balochistan because it owned Balochistan, which was neglected in the past.
“If the previous governments had spent more in Balochistan in the past, the situation of the province would have been better,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister said that the leaders had two choices either to make money for themselves or spend on the nation. “If I think about palaces in London….How I will think about the nation?” he remarked.
Imran Khan referred to the contribution of Mahatir Muhammad and Lee Kuan Yew – leaders of Malaysia and Singapore, in the development of their countries and said they did not make money or built palaces in London but served their countries and nations.
He said that Ziarat could be turned into a tourism hub to enhance the local populace’s income and check poverty.
The Prime Minister said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which faced terrorism and even lost the lives of 500 police officers, achieved enhanced development during the 2013-18 government of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI).
He also referred to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report, which acknowledged reduction in poverty, reduction of gap in the rich and poor and enhanced spending in human development, education, health and tourism.
The Prime Minister further said that with half of the KP population given health insurance cards previously, now the KP government had achieved 100% coverage of health insurance in the province providing the facility of Rs. one million for every family to get free medical treatment any hospital.
Similarly, he said, the government of Punjab will also provide health insurance facility across the province by the end of 2021, adding that a network of hospitals would be established in KP due to the health insurance scheme Punjab by the private sector.
