ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Leader Dr Shireen Mazari on Tuesday said that PTI is committed to eradicate corruption and poverty on priority basis. Talking to Radio Pakistan, she said that it is part of the democratic process to negotiate with small elected parties and independents to form the government. Major political parties are contacting the elected independents to win the number game to form the provincial government in Punjab, she added. She mentioned that most of the independents have already joined PTI and “we are strong enough to form the government in Punjab. We make it clear to newly joined members that PTI will not compromise on its vision at any cost”, she said. She said that her party had a lot of challenges to face but the immediate problem was to take Pakistan out of the Financial Action Task Force grey list. PTI Leader Sheikh Salman Naeem also said that PTI’s leadership was making consistent efforts to complete the required number of Members of the Provincial Assembly to form the government in Punjab. He hoped that in a couple of days, “we will be in the position to announce our provincial government in Punjab”. A majority of the independents have joined PTI. The independents will officially join the party after the notification of the Election Commission of Pakistan. PTI Chairman Imran Khan will finalise the name for Punjab chief minister, he added. Another PTI Leader Senator Faisal Javed said that PTI holds clear majority in the centre and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, however, the required number of MPAs to form the government in Punjab will soon be achieved because independents also realise the fact that real change can only be brought under the leadership of PTI Chairman Imran Khan. He said that senior leadership of PTI is in contact with the independents to achieve the remaining numbers to form the government in Punjab. He said that our foremost priority is to present our narrative aggressively and portray a positive and strong image of the country. To a question, he said that Kashmir was a core issue that needed to be resolved and Pakistan will have to adopt an aggressive and serious approach to highlight the issue on international forums. PTI Leader Umar Ayub also said that the upcoming government will have to take rigorous and revolutionary steps to address the challenge of economic instability in the country. He said that economic revival is imperative for development and the current economic issues need to be resolved including the current fiscal deficit, currency depreciation, low foreign exchange reserves and imports. The tax collection system needs to be improved and upgraded to generate maximum revenue and increase the tax net in the country, he added. He said that the most alarming issue was water crisis in the country and the government will have to make new dams and water reserves on priority basis to store water and address energy related issues. The situation will not change overnight; however, the government will have to take hard decisions to counter existing challenges, he added. Published in Daily Times, August 1st 2018.