ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 (TNS): Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday that the country suffered a massive loss of $14 billion in the aftermath of the Panama verdict, while reiterating respect for the verdict.
Criticizing political opponents, he said that fanning political instability and doing politics for the sake of it will inevitably result in hampering economic development in the country.
Ahsan Iqbal said this while talking to media after visiting the ‘Sasta Bazar’ where a huge fire took place on August 23, destroying many shops. The Minister expressed solidarity with shopkeepers and stall owners.
He emphasized that the country needs to unite and move forward beyond “dead issues” like DawnLeaks, inquiry of which has been completed jointly by the civil and military leadership and with their consensus it has reached to its logical conclusion.
Ahsan Iqbal said due to controversies, a developing Pakistan has been put on the path of down slide. He stressed that the country needs unity in the wake of conspiracies being hatched against it. He said the enemy wants to divide Pakistan and sow the seeds of internal fighting. He said we need to avoid such issues and move ahead by following the constitution and law.
“Political unrest and chaos are equal to destroying Pakistan’s image” he said.
Interior minister said that before Supreme Court verdict new funds were to be launched in the stock market which was stopped and this question should be asked as well.
He said stirring up political instability and leg-pulling in politics for power would inevitably result in hampering development projects and economic stability in the country.
The interior minister said that Pakistan with cooperation of neighboring countries would continue to play its role for bring peace in the region. “We want peace in Pakistan and neighboring countries and war against terrorists would go on which is in the interest of the Pakistan,” Ahsan Iqbal said.
He said the government has already rejected the Trump policy and pointed out that the US has to pay billions of dollars to Pakistan for using its airspace and ground facilities.
The interior minister said that Islamabad police stations would be turned into modern police stations by providing latest equipment and training to police personnel.
The Interior Minister who was accompanied by Minister of State Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Mayor Islamabad Sheikh Ansar assuring provision of relief by the government to the affected shopkeepers, said that the incident would have caused even more damage had there not been safe city project.
He said the fire incident reflects lacunas in firefighting equipment and shortage of security arrangements. He said there must have been firefighting equipment in the Sasta Bazar. He asked the CDA to ensure provision of security and firefighting equipment in Plazas.
He also said that he will request the prime minister to provide help to the affected.
