Page 13 - Pakistan Link - April 26, 2019

PAKISTAN APRIL 26, 2019 – PAKISTAN LINK – P13
Bilawal’s Remarks on PM Khan, Go Home or Face Lockdown

Asad Umar Spark Ruckus in the Assembly of Islamabad, Fazl Tells PTI

Bilawal also objected
to retired Brig Ijaz Shah’s
appointment as the new
interior minister, ques-
tioning how the position
could be given to him,
“when there are allega-
tions that he was involved
in Daniel Pearl’s murder.”
“Are you trying to
send a message to the
world that we have ter-
rorists and terrorists’
abettors in our cabinet?”
he asked. “Th is cannot
happen.”
Bilawal also took aim
at the new federal cabinet,
calling it a combination
of Musharraf and PPP’s
The PPP leader, in a fi ery speech on the fl oor of theAssembly, criticised Umar and referred to teams, a reference to the Islamabad: Jamiat Ulema-e- that people have lost billions of
him as “an educated but illiterate” person (parha likha jahil). He also used his oft-repeated many old faces on the Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Mau- rupees in the stock market during
slur for the prime minister, calling him a “selected” leader, triggering a ruckus in the parlia-
ment treasury benches. lana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday the last eight months because of
Th e PPP chairman, warned that his party will lock the government’s poor economic
Islamabad: Th e rul- iser, following the ruling Allegations such as these sporting a grin, said that down the federal capital if the policies. He also demanded an
ing Pakistan Tehreek-i- party’s protest, expunged are nothing new for us. “if anyone had to go Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) inquiry into the Bus Rapid Tran-
Insaf’s (PTI) MNAs on both of Bilwal’s remarks Th e government thinks home, it should have been government did not step down, a sit (BRT) project in Peshawar.
Monday left their seats from the record of the we will get scared with the prime minister,” call- private TV channel reported. “Th e project which was estimat-
and chanted slogans af- proceedings, reminding such threats. Th ey are ing him “incapable and “We demand that fresh elec- ed to cost Rs 30 billion has now
ter taking exception to the PPP leader that “this mistaken. When we were unworthy”. tions should be held in the coun- touched Rs 100 billion,” he noted.
PPP Chairman Bilawal house has elected him not deterred by dictators Bilawal said that the try,” the JUI-F chief told reporters “Th e National Accountability Bu-
Bhutto-Zardari’s remarks (the premier); he cannot such as Zia and Mush- PPP “has been taking part aft er a meeting of the Muttahida reau (NAB) has been rounding up
regarding former fi nance be called selected.” arraf, why would these in the house’s proceed- Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an alli- politicians belonging to the oppo-
minister Asad Umar and “Th ey have realised puppets scare us?” ings very reasonably” but ance of religious parties. sition parties, while the minister
Prime Minister Imran very late that I have been Bilawal reiterated his warned that the ruling Fazl, who is also the presi- and offi cials responsible for the
Khan during a session of using the word ‘selected’,” demand for the “sacking party would be in trouble dent of the MMA, said all opposi- BRT fi asco are roaming free,” he
the National Assembly. said Bilawal, referring to of those ministers who “if we were to resort to tion parties are on the same page lamented.
Th e PPP leader, in a his repeated use of the have ties with proscribed protests.” on holding fresh elections. He Fazl pointed out that the PTI
fi ery speech on the fl oor slur on the fl oor of the organisations and terror- PPP lawmakers said the country is stuck in eco- does not have its own ministers
of the assembly, criticised house. “Why are they ob- ists”. returned the treasury nomic and political crises for the and has instead chosen people
Umar and referred to him jecting now?” He warned that if “I, benches’ uproar dur- last eight months. “Th e country is who were part of the Pakistan
as “an educated but illit- ARTICLE CONTIN- as my party’s parliamen- ing Federal Minister for being run by a few selected tech- People’s Party (PPP) government.
erate” person (parha likha UES AFTER AD tary leader, am not al- Power Omar Ayub Khan’s nocrats … the elected minister “Th e current government lacks
jahil). He also used his He recalled that “I lowed to speak, then your rebuttal by approaching [Asad Umar] failed to present the the ability to pull the country out
oft -repeated slur for the was called a traitor [in prime minister will also his seat and tearing up the annual budget,” he maintained. of the prevailing crises,” he added.
prime minister, calling this house] when I was not be allowed to speak session’s agenda. “Now an International Monetary Th e JUI-F chief noted that
him a “selected” leader, not here. Shaheed Bena- [in this house].” Following the com- Fund (IMF) budget will be pre- the presidential form of govern-
triggering a ruckus in the zir Bhutto, Zulfi kar Ali “We will not even let motion, the Speaker ad- sented instead of that of the gov- ment is a symbol of dictatorship
parliament. Bhutto and Fatima Bhutto him enter [the building],” journed the session until ernment,” he added. and such measures should be
Speaker Asad Qa- were also called traitors. he threatened. 11am on Tuesday. Th e JUI-F leader claimed avoided.
Pakistan Deplores India’s Unilateral PIA Reaches Break-Even

Suspension of Cross-LoC Trade in Operating Profi t

Islamabad: Th e Foreign Offi ce on Sun- functional Confi dence-Building Mea- try of Home Aff airs, the trade was sus- Karachi: Pakistan Inter-
day deplored the unilateral decision by sures (CBMs) between the two coun- pended from both Chakothi-Uri and national Airlines (PIA) has
India to suspend cross-Line of Control tries, which came about aft er arduous Tetrinote-Chakan da Bagh crossing claimed that it has come out
(LoC) trade and rejected the allegations diplomatic eff orts. points of the LoC because of the alleged of losses at the operational
regarding its misuse. “Th e unilateral suspension of this “misuse of these routes by unnamed el- level aft er quite a long time
On Th ursday, the Indian govern- Kashmir-related CBM indicates that ements in Pakistan”. as its revenues slightly ex-
ment had suspended the cross-LoC India is seeking to reverse even the “Th e Government of India has ceeded the operating cost in
trade between Azad Jammu and Kash- modest gains made by the two coun- received reports that cross-LoC trade the quarter ending March
mir (AJK) and the part of Kashmir it tries in the diplomatic domain. routes in Jammu and Kashmir are being 31, 2019.
occupies, in a move that evoked strong “Its suspension without consult- misused by Pakistan-based elements. “PIA has achieved
reactions from traders who feared the ing Pakistan is deeply regrettable,” said Th is misuse involves infl ows of illegal breakeven at the opera-
decision could force them into destitu- the FO. weapons, narcotics and currency,” read tional level,” Adviser to PIA
tion. Th e statement further read that the notifi cation. CEO Air Vice Marshal Noor Abbas told Th e Express Tribune. “It, however, may
Azaj Ahmed Meer, an offi ce-bear- the suspension of the trade added to take three to four years to report a net profi t.”
er of the traders in Chakothi, had said the economic hardship of the divided Younis Habib Passes away Th e state-owned airline’s revenue surged to an average of Rs8-8.5 billion a
that at least 1,200 traders and hundreds Kashmiris and further squeezes the month in the January-March 2019 quarter compared to around Rs7 billion a
of other workers were associated with segment of people who could modestly Karachi: Younis month in the same period of last year. “Th e operating cost was slightly lower than
the trade on both sides of the LoC “who benefi t from this facility. Habib, a central the monthly revenue or was almost equal,” he said.
will now be economically devastated if Th e FO called for restoration of fi gure in the As- Th e adviser informed a notable improvement in fi nancial management came
the decision is not reversed”. the trade and urged India to refrain ghar Khan case aft er the seat occupancy rate per fl ight increased to around 90% in the period under
Th e FO, in a press statement, from taking unilateral measures. It also and the Mehran review compared to less than 70% in the corresponding period of the previous year.
on Sunday said: “Th e Indian action is asked for resolving diff erences through Bank scandal, Moreover, the addition of four planes to the operational fl eet aft er repair,
based on groundless accusations that constructive engagement with a view to died on Wednes- which took more than a year, reduction in the number of employees, drastic reduc-
this mechanism is being used for smug- transitioning from confl ict to coopera- day at the age of tion in the ticket reservation cost, increased load factor of cargo and increase in the
gling, narcotics, fake currency and ‘ter- tion. 76. number of fl ights on profi t-making routes helped achieve these results.
rorism’.” “In our view, there are better ways Once considered close to the “Such improvement in operations came following the change of management
According to the offi ce, this “lita- of dealing with issues relating to imple- top leadership of PPP, he played a in November 2018 when Air Marshal Arshad Malik took charge as CEO of the
ny” is all too familiar and in line with mentation, if any, than resorting to uni- major role in the removal of Benazir airline,” he said. “PIA is doing well under the fi ve-year business plan, which got
New Delhi’s frequent attempts to por- lateral suspension of important CBMs,” Bhutto’s government in 1990, and approval of the cabinet very recently.”
tray legitimate activities of the people read the statement. the success of Islami Jamhuri Itte- He revealed that PIA had been saving roughly Rs1 billion a month since it
in Indian-occupied Kashmir as linked Unilateral decision: Th e Indian had (IJI) in the election.Th e biggest acquired the new ticket reservation soft ware from Turkey-based fi rm Hitit in Oc-
to the so-called “terrorism”. government had suspended the cross- fi nancial scandal against him came tober 2018. “Th e new reservation soft ware is costing half of what PIA was paying
Th e statement added that the LoC trade on Th ursday. According to in the form of the Mehran Bank or to the US-based fi rm Saber.”
cross-LoC trade has been one of the a notifi cation issued by India’s Minis- the Mehrangate case. “Th e saving is playing a major role in turning around the airline,” he said.
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