• Pakistan is one of the few countries to have successfully confronted Covid, says Asad Umar
• Strategic ties with China transformed into economic partnership: FM
• Fiscal measures stimulated business, says Hafeez Shaikh
• Sania Nishtar calls Ehsaas programme ‘country’s biggest-ever social safety net’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has “settled in the crease” thanks to successes in foreign, economic and health sectors in his first two years in power and is “now ready to play a long and productive innings”, a group of senior cabinet members said on Tuesday.

The six individuals, all of whom hold key positions in government, were speaking at yet another ‘no-question asked’ news conference called to recount the present government’s achievements after the completion of two years in office.

The event was held at a specially designed and furnished media centre of the Press Information Department.

Information Minister Shibli Faraz, opening the session, said the event had been organised to present the two-year performance of the government to the nation as it was the essence of democracy. He said there would be no question-answer session because of the paucity of time ahead of a scheduled cabinet meeting.

Apart from Mr Faraz, those who spoke included Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Adviser to the PM on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Planning Minister Asad Umar, Industries Minister Hammad Azhar and Special Assistant to the PM on Poverty Reduction Dr Sania Nishtar.

The cabinet members mostly talked about challenges they inherited from the previous government, for example the current accounts deficit and high debt. They also pointed out that a “fifth generation warfare”, India’s expansionism and Covid-19 had exacerbated the government’s problems.

The information minister said Imran Khan and his team had overcome these challenges and some “positive developments” over the last week suggested the difficult times were over and good times were on the horizon.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said one would be able to appreciate the “achievements by looking at shifting geopolitical alliances and our arch rival’s threats and efforts to push Pakistan into diplomatic isolation”.

He said the “dynamic and effective foreign policy” adopted under the guidance of Prime Minister Imran Khan was paying dividends as India itself was facing isolation in the region and beyond while Pakistan achieved numerous milestones at the global and regional levels.

The foreign minister said Pakistan had not only countered the Indian agenda but also effectively presented its narrative across the globe. This had helped forge new strategic alignments, citing China’s engagement with India at Ladakh and Nepal’s rejection of India’s expansionist designs.

He said Pakistan had succeeded in transforming the strategic partnership with China into an economic partnership, as evident from the example of the second phase of CPEC.

Mr Qureshi further said during Prime Minister Khan’s visit to Turkey, a decision was taken on the dining table about a new trade and investment framework. “The idea has already become a reality now.”

The government expanded its partnership with the European Union and signed a strategic engagement plan before launching an ‘Engage Africa’ initiative to put Pakistan’s footprint in that continent.

The foreign minister said the PM’s relief initiative for debt relief for developing countries after Covid-19 drew an encouraging response from the United Nations, the World Bank and other lenders.

He said the global powers spent billions of dollars in Afghanistan for a military solution, but then acknowledged Mr Khan’s consistent stance about the need for a political solution for lasting peace.

“The whole world acknowledged Pakistan’s vital role in supporting and facilitating the Afghan peace and reconciliation process,” he added.

“The intra-Afghan dialogue will soon commence to further the objectives of bringing durable peace in the country.”

Mr Qureshi alleged the previous governments had put the Kashmir issue on the backburner by design, but Mr Khan had put the issue on the global agenda with his address to the UN Security Council and then following up with visits to major world capitals.

As such, the government effectively countered India’s illegal steps, the Hindutva agenda against minorities and ceasefire violations at all global forums.

“Due to these efforts the UNSC took up the Kashmir issue three times in a year and two reports of 2018 and 2019 by UN representatives exposed Indian moves in occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” the foreign minister recalled.

He said the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had issued a joint statement condemning the illegal and unilateral Indian actions in Kashmir.

Dr Hafeez Shaikh, the PM’s adviser on finance, reiterated his oft-repeated narrative that Imran Khan’s government inherited a crisis-like situation as a high current accounts deficit, low exports as well as foreign exchange reserves, and a looming default stared in its face.

These challenges were addressed by arranging foreign funding from friendly countries, signing a landmark arrangement with IMF and enabling inflows from other lenders and ensuring economic stability.

He said Covid-19 created a new challenge and the government responded with a massive Rs1.24 trillion package to protect people from poverty and job loss.

“The government was able to distribute Rs250 billion among 16 million families, or over 100m people.”

Measures paying dividends

He said international agencies like IMF, Bloomberg, Moody’s and Fitch were praising Pakistan for showing an unexpected resilience.

The government was able to present a tax-free budget and reduced taxes and duties. Businesses were supported through loan rescheduling, discounted loans and payment of utility bills out of public money, the adviser said.

The measures listed above had started showing results, Dr Hafeez Shaikh claimed, citing as evidence a six per cent growth in exports last month, 33pc growth in sales of cement, four percent in automobiles, 31pc in motorbikes and a 23pc higher tax collection over the previous financial year.

Hammad Azhar, the Minister for Industries and Production, said despite Covid-19 pandemic, all the supply chains were kept intact to ensure availability of essential commodities round the clock. He said the government had announced an incentive package for the construction industry, which led to an upsurge in the sector and its allied industries. The activity will pick up after the monsoon season, he added.

Planning Minister Asad Umar said Pakistan was one of the few countries which had successfully confronted Covid-19. He attributed this success to the decisions taken in a timely manner with consensus. “The government has proved it has the competence and the will to confront challenges.”

In her remarks Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar said the Ehsaas programme “is the country’s biggest-ever social safety net”. The Ehsaas programme will be further expanded.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2020