Daily Times

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would soon introduce more institutional reforms in Punjab.

The previous government of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) destroyed state institutions, while the incumbent government was working to strengthen them, she said while talking to newsmen at Koobey Chak-Bajwat village near Sialkot.

She said the legislation regarding the local government system carried out by the PTI government in Punjab reflected the aspirations of the people of province. The provincial government would continue to do such legislation, she added.

Firdous alleged that the PML-N leadership was doing politics to serve their personal interests. Its rulers, who occupied the ‘Takhat-e-Lahore’, had ruthlessly plundered national wealth, besides weakening national institutions, she added.

She said the Sindh government was running without any direction or priorities. “The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) should better set its priorities in Sindh instead of criticising the PTI’s federal government.”

Regarding the spread of AIDS in Sindh, she said the disease was spreading fast in the province, as new cases were being reported. She said the federal government was ready to extend its full cooperation to the Sindh government in controlling AIDS.

She advised the PPP leadership to focus on Sindh and try to resolve the issues being faced by the people of the province.

Meanwhile, Firdous said the government had paid special attention to the welfare of Pakistanis across the world. Talking to a delegation of labourers and farmers, she said that on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, strenuous efforts were made for formulation of a comprehensive programme to improve socioeconomic conditions of the workers.

In this regard, the registration process of formal and informal labourers would soon be carried out under ‘Mazdoor Ka Ehsas’ programme, she disclosed.

She said that industrial workforce was playing an instrumental role in keeping the production wheel in full motion. She said the ‘Ehsas’ programme of the government was for the social welfare of the people, especially the poor students, women and other weak segments of society.

“The basic concept of undertaking these welfare programmes was to strengthen the hands of labourers economically, and hopefully the results would be visible in the near future,” she added.

Separately, Firdous strongly condemned an attack on the valiant Pakistan Armed Forces from across the Pak-Afghan border.

The special assistant, in a statement, said the attack from across the border on the brave security forces was condemnable.

Paying tribute to the martyrs of the cowardly attack, she said the Pakistan Army had been offering supreme sacrifices to defend the motherland. The soil of Afghanistan should not be used for terrorist activities in Pakistan, she added.

Dr Firdous asked whether the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leadership would still praise Afghanistan or raise the slogan of ‘Lar’ and ‘Bar’. The PTM leadership should stop criticising state institutions, she added. She said the fencing of the Pak-Afghan border was done for the safety of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the PTM should raise its voice against forces who were opposing the fencing.