KHARAN: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Saturday said that the people of Pakistan had rejected the politics of hurling abuses and telling lies. “People have rejected the politics of hurling abuses. I know that PML-N will come into power again after upcoming general elections as masses will kick out those doing the politics of negativity,” the prime minister said while addressing a ceremony to launch development projects in Kharan. “The decision which will be made in July will seal the fate of Pakistan for next five years. People have to make a crucial choice between two sides. On one side there is politics of serving people and the truth. On the other side, there is politics of hurling abuses and lies,” he said, adding that God knows what will happen to the nation if people who are not even loyal to one another come to power. Referring to the recently held Senate election, the prime minister said a party leader had alleged another party leader of buying his 14 senators but they were found to be supporting each other in the election for Senate chairman. He hoped that as the politics of negativity had failed to attract public applause, the PML-N would obtain even more seats than the past in the next general elections. The prime minister said those criticising the recently announced tax amnesty scheme should first make public their last year’s tax details. “There is no room for criticism on it… I question them as what they are criticizing for – over reduction of tax rates?” he asked the opponents. The critics will meet their political fate if they tell the masses that they are opposing the initiative of reducing tax rates and making people prove their patriotism by supporting the government in running the state affairs, he added. The prime minister said the previous governments always increased tax rates but it was the PML-N government that reduced these by more than half. He said that when resourceful people evade taxes, the poor have to bear the brunt in the form of indirect taxation on daily use commodities. He said the tax reforms were meant to shift burden of indirect taxes from the poor to those who were not paying taxes despite earning millions. The prime minister said the revolutionary tax reforms will bring in record resources to the national economy and lead the country to self-dependence. He said the tax reforms would make the people join course of national development by paying taxes and proving their patriotism. Apprising the gathering about his Friday’s visit to Kabul, the prime minister said that he thoroughly discussed the Afghan issue with local leadership and told them that no country desired peace in Afghanistan more than Pakistan. He said the military might had failed to resolve the issue during the last 30 years. The solution lies only in dialogue among all Afghan stakeholders and Pakistan would extend all out support to the process as an obligation. He hoped that if Afghan side also shows the sincerity like Pakistan, peace can be restored in that country. Prime Minister Abbasi said the democracy would flourish and country would progress if the people elect a sincere leadership in the next election. He said the PML-N government executed record development works across the country in its tenure. He questioned as why the previous political and military governments failed to carry out development projects despite having same resources. Published in Daily Times, April 8th 2018.