ORAKZAI: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday addressed a rally here, warning ministers of being replaced if they failed to perform.
“I want to tell my ministers that it they do not perform for my country, I will change them,” said the prime minister.
Referring to Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mehmood Khan, the prime minister said, “A good captain is always looking towards his team to win and is constantly monitoring his team.”
“The captain’s sole purpose is to make his team win. I have one purpose to make my country win and I am answerable to Allah,” he further said.
Prime Minister Khan added that to obtain his purpose he had “changed the batting order in his team and would continue to do so in the future.”
The cabinet reshuffle came at a time of growing pressure with the rupee losing 30 percent of its value since the start of 2018, stirring sharp inflation.
‘Sloganeering against armed forces will hurt nation’
Referring to the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), Prime Minister Khan said chanting slogans against your country and armed forces would hurt the nation and nothing else. “PTM should not rub salt on peoples wounds,” he added.
“The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement says the right thing and I have been saying these things for the last 15 years. But their attitude and tone is not right,” he added.
Turning to the people of Orakzai, the prime minister said he was the only politician who had visited and knew the tribal areas when the war against terror started.
“That’s why I said time and again that Pakistan’s armed forces should not be sent to tribal areas on US’ saying because the tribal people are our army.”
“Unfortunately, the leader of the time did not know about tribal areas or their traditions or history. Thus, what happened in our tribal areas, most did not know the kind of damage that was done,” he added.
The premier continued, “Pakistan Army had no fault in this but the leader who sent the army on US’ saying.”
“No prime minister has visited the tribal areas like I have and they don’t have the same understanding of these areas as me,” he reiterated.
“I have come here to assure you that Pakistan will never forget your sacrifices and will support you,” the premier said.
According to the prime minister, he was the one who spoke up when people in the tribal areas faced bad times. “Today, we have to think how we can move forward. The real challenge is how the youth and children of tribal areas can acquire education and jobs,” the prime minister stressed.
Earlier addressing the rally, the premier said, “I want to thank all of you. I came to your area 27 years ago when I was writing a book.”
“When the war against terror started, I was the only politician who had visited and knew the tribal areas. That’s why I said time and again that Pakistan’s armed forces should not be sent to tribal areas on US’ saying because the tribal people are our army.”
“I was the one who spoke up when people in tribal areas faced bad times. Today, we have to think how we can move forward. The real challenge is how the youth and children of tribal areas can acquire education and jobs,” the prime minister continued.
While speaking about the neighbouring country Afghanistan, the premier said that it is hoped that the lukewarm ties will turn better one day.
“If there is peace in Afghanistan, then our trade will increase through the route,” said the PM, expressing hope that peace prevails in the country which has been bracing war since past 40 years.
PM Imran recounted that in his earlier visit to Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital, he met with two patients from Afghanistan’s Mazar-i-Sharif.
The PM hoped that relations with the neighbouring country become better so that a cancer hospital be built there.
On the current situation, the premier said, “Those who ruled for the last 10 years, the way they looted our country they took our debt from Rs6,000 billion to Rs30,000 billion.”
