MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says there is no threat to democracy in the country and “the elements sitting outside the assemblies should have to wait.”

Speaking to the participants in a gathering in NA-157, the constituency from where his son Zain Qureshi had been elected, the foreign minister said that due to the continuity of the people-friendly policies of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, the party would come into power with a huge majority in the 2023 general election.

“We are moving in the right direction while keeping in view our party’s manifesto. The journey of change has begun. Action against the looters is under way. All the looters would have to return the looted money or they will be behind the bars,” he said.

He said he was thankful to the voters of PP-218 for the victory of the PTI candidate in by-election.

“They have reassured their confidence in the PTI and we also will meet the expectations of the people who have defeated the joint candidate of the PPP and the PML-N. Power is not permanent. We are among the masses and will remain among them,” he said.

He condemned the killing of innocent people in attacks in Balochistan.

“We have to root out terrorism. Previous governments had failed to implement the National Action Plan because of which terrorism could not be controlled. Our government is trying that the National Action Plan should be implemented and for this purpose we will hold consultation sessions with all political parties including opposition parties.

“With the permission of the prime minister a letter had been written to the opposition parties to develop consensus over the NAP,” he said.

He said the PTI had to face economic crisis created by the previous governments. “The national exchequer is empty and many institutions are at the edge of precipice,” he added. He said the PTI’s economic team was making all-out efforts to strengthen the economy and economic diplomacy had been started.

“Soon the foreign investment will increase and there will also be an increase in country’s export which will strengthen the economy,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2019