ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on Establishment Arbab Shehzad has expressed hope that the mega housing project launched by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would create hundreds of thousands of jobs besides facilitating 40 industrial sectors in the country.
“Economic uplift, reforms in National Accountability Bureau and civil services, and zero tolerance on corruption and extremism are among the top priorities of the present government,” he said while talking to a news channel. “The prime minister and his team have been working passionately to achieve the set targets and there is no concept of availing holidays for the PTI leadership.”
All the cabinet ministers are putting their best efforts for the capacity building of the attached institutions of their respective ministries and divisions, he said.
Regarding PTI government’s 100-day performance, Arbab Shahzad said, “Out of 34, 18 targets have been achieved,” adding that agreements to curb money laundering have been signed with some countries.
“Tough decisions would be taken for elimination of corruption and corrupt elements,” he said, adding that improvement in the governance system is also a part of the government’s manifesto.
Commenting on the foreign policy, he said the previous regimes did not focus on the policy matters due to which the incumbent government was facing grave challenges. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had all the capabilities to deal with the problems on the foreign policy front, he added.
Shahzad said progress has been made in furthering Pakistan’s ties with Saudi Arabia, China, UAE and Malaysia, while talks are underway with the US to clear whatever misunderstandings.
He said that the civil service reforms would be made gradually, as the government completely understands the importance of depoliticising bureaucracy.
To a query, he said a conducive environment in the country is imperative to attract foreign investors, adding that efforts are being made to promote the tourism sector of the country.
