Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said changing the corrupt system is a time taking but doable challenge though the status quo biases are resisting the systemic reformation.
“The status quo doesn’t allow change. It makes them lose their (corruption) money. How will they make money if they don’t resist change? This way, a whole (vicious) system is developed in the society,” the prime minister said while addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of affordable apartments for low-income group.
He was referring to the resistance faced by the government from the people in all institutions in its efforts to bring automation, which, he believes, will eliminate corruption.
The prime minister said he has seen the deteriorating system in the country which is also corrupt and it requires a vision and commitment to change it. “But it is doable as we know many countries which have transformed themselves. We will have to change ourselves, if Pakistan has to meet the 21st century challenges,” he remarked.
The prime minister said in Pakistan, the mortgage finance stood at around 0.2% against above 80% in the Western countries. He said the passage of foreclosure law enabled the people without cash to buy or construct their own houses. The people would be able to avail the housing finance by paying the instalments from the money they used for house rent.
Imran Khan told the gathering that the construction industry supports another 30 allied industries, thus becoming a major sole source to boost the economy. Referring to his vision of the Naya Pakistan and Madina State, Imran Khan said the State of Madina was based on two golden principles of rule of law and humanity. “Today’s Scandinavian welfare states and others in the West are also pursuing the very noble principles. Today, a full battle is going on in Pakistan to make big mafias accountable before law. There are big political mafias too, which are resisting the rule of law. This is a defining moment for Pakistan. As we establish writ of law, the society will liberate,” he said.
He said the Madina State had taken the full responsibility of its poor people despite resources constraint. The incumbent government, he added, was also trying to follow the same principles by extending universal health coverage, building Panagahs and introducing mobile kitchens for the poor.
He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had extended the Sehat Insaf cards to the entire population while Punjab would also achieve the same by the current year’s end to make the beneficiaries avail free medical treatment of up to Rs 1 million. Even the developed countries did not have such a universal health coverage, he added.
The prime minister said that on coming Sunday, he would launch an initiative of mobile kitchen to serve free of charge food to the poor people in their respective areas. Quoting a recently published UNDP report, Imran Khan said as per the United Nations data, the poverty ratio had declined in the KP province during the last seven years while the human development index had shown positive trend. Moreover, he said, the government would collect data of its entire population by June which would help it pay direct subsidy to the deserving people. “God willing, Pakistan is going to become a welfare state,” he hoped.
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, Chief Minister Sardar Usamn Buzdar, federal and provincial cabinet members, Naya Pakistan Housing & Development Authority (NPHDA) Chairman Lt. General (Retd) Anwar Hyder and Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Vice Chairman Imran Munir attended the event.
Under the LDA City project, a joint venture of NAPHDA and LDA, a total of 35,000 modern apartments would be constructed for the low-income group under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s initiative to provide housing facilities. In the first phase of the project, 4,000 apartments would be constructed, out of which 2,000 have been allocated for the government employees getting less than Rs 50,000 per month salary.
In order to ensure transparency in the project, a computerized balloting would be held soon and the prime minister would initially distribute allotments among the applicants selected through balloting.
Imran Khan appreciated the Punjab chief minister and cabinet members for putting in all efforts to pave the way for the mega pro-poor project. He said the project’s launch was impossible without the passage of foreclosure law for mortgage finance and thanked the judiciary for resolving the issue pending for years.
