IMRAN SAYS PTI TO VOTE AGAINST FINANCE BILL IN SENATE

FORMER prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)

Chairman Imran Khan has castigated the incumbent government for presenting ‘minibudget’, saying that his party would vote against the Finance Supplementary Bill 2023 in Senate.

Speaking to foreign journalists at his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, the former premier said that the government would put more burden on inflation-hit people of Pakistan by passing ‘mini-budget’ from the parliament.

In response to a question, Imran Khan said that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar met President Dr Arif Alvi to seek the latter’s nod for an ordinance. “The president would not be an obstacle on the finance bill,” he said, adding that his party would vote against the bill in Senate.

Referring to elections, the PTI chairman said that the incumbent government was violating the constitution as it was responsible to hold elections within 90 days of assembly dissolution. “We sacrificed our provincial governments for general elections,” he said, warning of default if elections are not held on time.

“These people [present rulers] are afraid that a government with public mandate will come into power,” Imran Khan said, adding that they were trying to arrest and disqualify him. He also warned to move court if the government violates constitution.

Imran Khan claimed that Pakistan

Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice-president Maryam Nawaz and her

Sindh, Centre agree to settle issues of K-IV, RBOD-I, III, Hub Canal projects

KARACHI STAFF REPORT social media team were putting pressure on the courts. “Maryam Nawaz has accused Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial of being biased,” the former premier added.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Water Syed Khursheed Shah in their high power meeting have agreed to settle all the outstanding issues, including K-IV, RBOD-I and III, and Hub Canal projects amicably. The consensus was developed during a meeting attended by WAPDA Chairman Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, Secretary Water Resources Hassan Nasir Jami through video link, Joint Secretary Maher Ali Shah, GM North Masood Soomro, PD K-IV Aamir Mughal, Sindh Minister for Local Govt Nasir Shah, Minister for Irrigation Sindh Jam Khan Shoro, Sindh Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary LG Najam Shah, Secretary Irrigation Sohail Qureshi and other concerned officers, said a statement issued here on Wednesday. The meeting was told that the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme K-IV Phase-I (260 MGD) was being constructed in Districts Malir and Thatta with the objective to provide a dependable and sustainable water transmission system from its more than 100 kilometers away source of Keenjhar Lake to three reservoirs around the city to feed Karachi Water Supply and Distribution Network. The Chief Minister said that the project would enable the water supply system to meet the public needs and requirements of commercial and industrial activities. He said, the water supports economic activities, alleviates poverty by flourishing the the existing and future industries in Karachi. He directed to expedite the pace of works on the project. Federal Minister Khursheed Shah said that his team had told him that there were some cases of land disputes under hearing in courts. At this, the CM directed the Chief Secretary to get all the issues of land and court cases cleared so that the work on the project could be accelerated. The CM Sindh was told that the tender for different components of the K-IV has been awarded and work is about to start. The meeting was told that the WAPDA had completed its work on Right Bank Outfall Drain-I & III in June 2020 but the project had yet to be taken over by the Sindh government.

The PTI chief also criticized former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, saying that fundamental rights were violated during Bajwa’s tenure.

“Bajwa had admitted that he toppled my regime,” Imran Khan said, adding that the former army chief also admitted to record audios and videos. “Tapping prime minister’s phone is a violation of the law”, he added.

Speaking of his meeting with Bajwa, he said he only discussed about immediate elections during the meeting, wherein President Alvi was also present. “He [Bjawa] even wanted to appoint Aleem Khan as Punjab CM,” he added.