PM Khan asks Fatyana to draft bill aimed at making Pakistan welfare state
52
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday asked Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) member of the National Assembly Riaz Fatyana to draft a bill to make Pakistan a real welfare state, ensure representation of all segments of society in parliament, improve agriculture and solve people’s problems.
The meeting was held amid resentment within the PTI over Mr Fatyana’s remarks in favour of opposition MNA Khawaja Saad Rafique.
A press release issued by the PTI headquarters said the meeting between the prime minister and Mr Fatyana was held in a “pleasant atmosphere”. The prime minister expressed “complete confidence” in Mr Fatyana and appreciated his points of view and suggestions.
The PM’s adviser on political affairs, Naeemul Haq, was also present during the meeting.
Meeting follows PTI lawmaker’s remarks in favour of opposition MNA Saad Rafique
When contacted, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said there was resentment in the PTI over Mr Fatyana’s remarks about Saad Rafique, but “all issues between him and the party have been settled now”.
In a recent TV programme, Mr Fatyana had called for serving justice to Khawaja Saad Rafique of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in the Paragon Housing Society case.
He claimed that he had known Saad Rafique for 30 years and was aware about his character and nature.
The PTI leader had said his call for serving justice to the PML-N leader was his personal opinion and not his party’s position.
He said the masses voted the PTI into power to take action against corruption, which was the country’s biggest issue in the prevailing circumstances.
Mr Fatyana rejected the allegation that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was being used as a tool to target politicians belonging to the opposition parties.
He said that only three per cent of the NAB inquiries was against politicians.
Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2018
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (52) Closed
Dec 18, 2018 09:16am
Imran's crisp image used to tax and burden the very people who supported him. Imran needs to know he needs to be incharge or this regimen change was a futile exercise and Pakistan will be without hope.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 09:25am
Canada is a welfare state that works very effectively to meet most of (not all) of
its citizenries needs. We still have homelessness and numerous other social problems.
Kudos to your PM if he can afford to implement such a system.
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 09:31am
Welfare state means take money from the hard working in the for, of taxes and give handouts to the lazy so to secure their vote bank for the next two elections.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 09:41am
Where will the money come for a welfare state with extremely low documentation of trade and tax payers. First trade should be documentated and tax payers increased to atleast 5 million.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 09:54am
You cannot suppress the truth
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 10:01am
This is called real democracy!!
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 10:26am
A principled stand by Mr Fatyana!
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 10:29am
The worst idea yet. Who is going to pay for it? Millions of Pakistanis with money will be moving permanently to the Emirates and the West.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 10:33am
Imran needs to send a delegation to Venezuela to find out how a country with the second largest oil reserves in the world went bankrupt. The PM must have an ace up his sleeve somewhere. He is living in Dreamland.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 10:41am
The PM should know well enough that by passing a bill declaring Pakistan a welfare state will not turn it automatically into one. It needs hard work and diligence from everyone involved - from the President and PM down to the lowly peon.
Imran has talked the talk. Its time now to walk the walk.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 11:07am
Very gracious. India to note and hopefully emulate. 73% of india’s growth goes to 1% of the population. The result for instance is obscenely garish weddings amidst an ocean of poverty. Nationalism and religious bigotry are smoke screens to hide the plunder.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 11:13am
Mr. Fatyana will draft the bill to convert Pakistan into a welfare state, the task which could not be done in the past 70 years will be drafted through an ex Muslim Leaguean! This is the penalty he will pay to support Mr. Saad Rafique.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 11:18am
The former PPP guy who is known to switch parties and was involved in corruption cases will now propose the solution of the welfare state. This is a joke with my country. Our country deserves far better than this.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 11:19am
"draft a bill to make Pakistan a real welfare"
Welfare costs money. A prerequisite is a good income.
Good welfare countries have a tax rate of close to 50%, for example Sweden.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 11:27am
Waiting for this " draft a bill "
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 11:37am
NAB should step up it’s game. More politicians must face justice!
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 11:54am
Welfare state how and when? We have these things only in speeches not more than that.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:15pm
@Markhor , yep of it was gainst pmln then it wouldnt be right
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:16pm
@Asad, that they are corrupt? dont worry
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:17pm
Inshallah PM Imran Khan will achieve his dreams of turning Pakistan into a welfare state.
Pakistan is not necessarily a third world country, but forced to be so by mega corruption. Unfortunately this is the case in some other Asian and African countries too, corruption has always hindered the economies hence no real face of the country comes through.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:17pm
A step in the right direction. Previous governments only paid lip service. Thank you PM
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:22pm
Good vision and a dream come true...
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:22pm
Once Sharifs and Zardars of this world are eliminated from the political scene Pakistan will inshallah become a welfare state. Corruptions takes chunks of the money.
Please don't mention Benazir support, this corrupt to the core, especially since it is in the hands of Zardaris.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:32pm
i appreciate but you can not make a welfare state without money, and from where will you bring all that money? From Common people by increasing taxes on consumer goods, gas, medicines. Sir it sounds good but with rapid population growth i am not going to see this happening in next 80 years as well. Good intentions though.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:32pm
Welfare state is possible only when the nation spends more on health and education.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:43pm
At last we are going to be a welfare state ala mode western europe ! Great news...
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 12:45pm
@Mahmud , : You forgot our rich and powerful friends..Saudia, China, Emirates, Turkey and Malaysia who will help us to bloom as a welfare state !
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 01:19pm
@Gordon D. Walker, Canada is different and Pakistan is different...Don't make an apples to Oranges comparision....
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 02:14pm
Right selection of Mr Fatyana by PM for an important and complex assignment to make Pakistan a welfare state. Mr Fatyana is an experienced politician who understands the real problems of people at grassroot level. This is the reason why PM has reposed confidence in him for this important and challenging task.
Feedback from different sects of society is crucial for completion of such task. Can I suggest to Mr Fatyana to read through my feefback that I've been forwarding to him from time to time to have better idea of some of the real issues faced by the people of Pakistan. It would not be possible to draft a specific welfare bill without introducing radical changes in other areas of law e.g. taxation, district administration, local govt and social welfare etc laws. As for representation of all segments of society in parliament, only viable and democratic option is to run election campaigns of deserving candidates at party's expenses.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 02:19pm
Europe built the social welfare states after 60 million people perished in WW II, and when the left was really strong in the wake of Communist revolution in Russia in 1917. We neither had a revolution nor a disastrous civil war. It takes bringing down of all edifices to build new ones. The old edifices are not removed by bringing in somebody by the establishment's node, or through political victimization through NAB. Merely because IK is in the PM house, doesn't make it feasible.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 02:20pm
What does being a welfare state mean exactly? Welfare systems work in the West because practically everyone including most pensioners pay tax. That’s how the system is funded. Even basic universal free healthcare costs a lot of money. Mr Khan has to put in place a definite source of funding before instigating a welfare system. His heart is in the right place but without massive reshuffling of tax and spending priorities it would remain just one more fanciful promise! A sensible first step would be to divert the country’s mega military spending to health and education.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 02:42pm
Early elections is the only answer to this chaos.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 03:48pm
@Gordon D. Walker, I am sure in Canada most are well-educated and pay taxes (even 30% of income).
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 04:07pm
Pakistanis do not want to pay tax to the government as they know that tax is robbed by the clan of NS and Zardari.The best thing IK can give to the nation is confidence if he put all the lootèrs of national wealth to jail and recover from them and ensure no more looting in future.We can collect tax of Rs 8000 Billion per year from atleast 60 to 80 million people.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 04:32pm
@Faraz, it also means free medical and education for all
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 04:51pm
Sweden, Norway and Finland are welfare states. Do you want to become like them.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 05:41pm
The Government Focus should be on Investments, Job creation and population control. Providing welfare to an uncontrolled population is not possible.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 05:43pm
@Faraz, conservative mind!
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 08:49pm
@Khalil, off all people you should have realised that "this is also a lip service"
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 08:51pm
@Shaibaaz, common denominator was "welfare state" which costs and even richest of rich cannot fulfull all demands.
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 09:15pm
Not happening. Think......do you have natural resource like Oil? Do you have a highly educated workforce? Do you have skilled labor force like China? Do you have advance technology, like Japan or S.Korea? Well......do you or you’re going to keeping robbing the hard working middle class to pay the lazy?
Recommend
0
Dec 18, 2018 09:23pm
" welfare state " very loosely worded, it can be interpreted in hundreds of ways. I don't think he himself knows what he is talking about. Just trying to keep himself in the headlines, pretending to be doing something without actually doing it. Let's be honest, no south Asian country can afford to become a welfare state in the foreseeable future. The best he can do is to request Chinese to shift some of their manufacturing units to Pakistan.... create jobs and stop religious fanatics to Pakistan irreverent .
Recommend
0
Dec 19, 2018 10:48am
Welfare state with empty treasury???
Recommend
0
Dec 19, 2018 02:21pm
Imran Khan means well. He is sincere, and genuinely wants to see Pakistan become a modern welfare state. But unless and until the rampant corruption, especially at high places, is tackled and brought under control welfare state will remain an elusive dream.
Recommend
0
Dec 19, 2018 06:04pm
The biggest loophole in our system is the “GIFT” Transferibg if assets without any grounds and limits, it’s a way for people to not pay a single penny and be held accountable in the court of law. Fix our legal system, fix the loopholes, fix the way people are able to walk out with billions. As a multimillionaire, how can you adjustify paying a meager Rd. 70,000 in taxes Mr. PM.
Recommend
0
Dec 19, 2018 06:19pm
This will lead to overseas Pakistanis to return home and enjoy a good life like they are doing in many western countries.
Recommend
0
Dec 19, 2018 08:43pm
i think its a good idea ...... and all the sources of funding may not be known or identified at the moment but that is the way life often is .... you rarely know the end at the beginning but you have to proceed anyway .... I APPLAUD PM IMRAN for having the guts to at least speak boldly and make a start .....after all thats what it is at this point, ....only a start .... and i hope he keeps going and not get discouraged .... he will face obstacles and difficulties , as in any project in life .... hope the nation supports him in this noble endeavour
Recommend
0
Dec 19, 2018 10:13pm
It is a step in right direction. I wish them the best.
Recommend
0
Dec 19, 2018 10:23pm
Simple as that, is it?
Pass laws to achieve a welfare state!
Recommend
0
Dec 19, 2018 11:23pm
We should not underestimate the captain. He knows how to win. Set aside your doubts and questions for time being and let the captain lead and play the game. He may surprise you. Who knows???
Recommend
0
Dec 20, 2018 05:03am
I thought he will come out with new plans to create jobs, promote business and entrepreneurial development, improve education system and reduce the population growth. Economic development take care of poverty.
Recommend
0
Dec 20, 2018 05:50am
@Faraz, not really. The hard workers are not that hard working but make others money do thevwork.
Recommend
0
