Criticism is essential, says PM, but urges media to avoid ‘spreading disappointment’ – Pakistan

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Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that criticism was necessary for a nation, but urged the media to avoid “spreading disappointment” among the public and to follow the “balance” when covering stories.

“I again ask the media and media professionals that criticism is very necessary for a country…and I have been criticized for the past 50 years, criticism is a good thing. But one thing is propaganda , the fake news that is made to create disappointment in the country,” he said while answering questions from the general public live during a program called “Aap Ka Wazir-e-Azam, Aap Kay Saath” .

Before answering questions, the prime minister said he should ‘mainly’ do such a ‘session’ in parliament, but the opposition won’t let him talk and shout when he delivers a speech in parliament.

The prime minister accused some of the media workers of working with a “mafia”, which wants to destabilize the country and want to overthrow the government, and “sow disappointment”. Citing World Bank statistics on Pakistan’s growth rate, he called on the media to “report” such facts.

Prime Minister Imran came to this statement after answering the third question related to inflation and the economy. According to the Prime Minister, skyrocketing inflation was the only problem “preventing [him] woke up at night”.

He urged the media to report on reports from the World Bank and leading economic magazines on Pakistan which showed Pakistan “did a good fight” against Covid and the economy was “up”.

The World Bank in its recent Global Economic Prospects Report projected Pakistan’s GDP growth rate at 4% for 2022-23, benefiting from structural reforms boosting export competitiveness and improving financial sustainability. of the electricity sector.

The Prime Minister also responded to opposition criticism of his article on the state of Medina. “I want to make it clear that a person like me didn’t want to go into politics, God gave me everything after cricket, I had everything, I lacked nothing. I stood against them [mafias].”

During the session, a caller also thanked the prime minister for starting the housing finance project as he was now able to have his own house. The caller said the process for a home loan was “easy.”

Inflation

Prime Minister Imran said inflation in the country has risen for two reasons, firstly due to the disruption in global supply following the coronavirus pandemic. Second, the government incurred “high circular debt” after coming to power and had to pay high interest on loans purchased by the previous government.

He gave examples of major world economies as they also struggled with Covid and inflation. “The United States has spent $6 trillion for its people in the form of the Corona Relief Package and we have spent $8 billion for our people,” he said while sharing the relief measures.

“We are part of global inflation, it impacts everything.”

Citing global statistics, Prime Minister Imran said global food prices were the highest in 10 years and inflation in the United States was the highest in 40 years.

He admitted that the working class was the most affected because of the coronavirus. “We have to help our working class. It will also be necessary to support the petty bourgeoisie, for that you need a little patience.

He also admitted that during the same period the corporate sector had recorded huge profits and urged them to raise the wages of their employees – the salaried class.

health card

One of the callers praised the Prime Minister’s health card initiative, but stressed the need to raise awareness. The caller told the Prime Minister that his initiative had not been “properly” brought to the attention of his media team.

“I believe that while you can fool a lot of people for a short time, you can’t fool people for a longer period,” the Prime Minister said. He again said the country’s economy was struggling due to heavy interest on loans, circular debt, the financial impact of Covid and the flow of dollars to Afghanistan after new leaders took over. took the reins.

“The health card is my initiative. I thought of such a need after I contracted the disease from my mother who was suffering from cancer at the time,” he said and called the initiative a “health system”.

Prime Minister Imran said private hospitals could build their centers in district hospitals across the country under the initiative.

Presidential system

One of the interlocutors asked about media reports regarding the presidential system.

Prime Minister Imran said: “In my first speech, I said that you will hear a lot of noise from everywhere and that the Prime Minister has become incompetent.”

In an apparent reference to opposition leaders, he said they “were not thieves but dacoits”.

Prime Minister Imran stressed the need for rule of law in the country to ensure order in the country.

In addition, he also spoke about the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.

“I am called for not having met Shehbaz because he is the leader of the opposition. [But] I see him as the nation’s criminal,” he said, adding that the PML-N leader’s speeches often sounded like a “job request.” He was of the opinion that the Leader of the Opposition had a high status.

The prime minister said Shehbaz still has not provided answers in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case and called on the courts to decide the case as soon as possible by holding daily hearings.

“Nations are not [just] destroyed by atomic bombs. They can also be destroyed by removing ethics.”

Giving the example of Switzerland, he said the country had only “cows and mountains” but was ranked among the best in the world due to the guarantee of the rule of law.

“I am ready to talk to anyone, PTM or Baloch separatists and work with anyone, but I will not reconcile with criminals because it will look like the country,” Prime Minister Imran said.

Case

One of the users had a question about the Noor Muqadam case and recalled the Shahzeb murder case.

He stressed the need to have the rule of law and not to put pressure on social institutions. He also called for giving no privileges to the rich.

Prime Minister Imran said the government will make changes to the criminal justice system and plans underway to tackle cartels.

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