Govt raised petroleum prices ignoring ‘political cost’: Marriyum

islamabad: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the incumbent government had responsibly managed the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and taken decisions to raise petroleum product prices ignoring “political cost”.

On the contrary, the previous regime violated the agreement with the IMF just for political gains, she said while addressing a news conference after inauguration of the Foreign Media Digital Wall of Digital Electronic Media Unit here at the Directorate of Electronic Media and Publications.

“The government’s tenure will end in a few days, but we have prioritized the state over politics. In contrast, Imran Khan, who was certain about end of his government, subsidized petroleum products and violated the IMF agreement which inflicted massive damage to economy,” she maintained.

The minister said that the present coalition government did not take decisions for petty political advantages, rather the same were made in the larger national interest.

She said about 15 months ago the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and allied parties decided to save the country (from the clutches of an inefficient ruler).

“Today we can hold our heads high and say that the government took the decisions for the stability of the country’s economy,” she maintained.

When the present government came to power, Pakistan was on the verge of bankruptcy, she said, adding the inefficient and incompetent rulers of the past had brought the country on the brink of default for getting political mileage.

After taking the charge of office, she said, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif restarted talks to revive the suspended IMF programme to save the country’s reputation. The present government not only removed the “economic mines” planted by the last regime, but put the country on the road of development.

The minister mentioned that there were various reasons for recent increase in the petroleum product prices, including global market fluctuations as well as commitments made to the IMF.

She said it would have been easy for the government to reduce petroleum prices for political gains, but priority was given to the economy and state.

The Chinese Vice Premier’s visit to Pakistan showed confidence reposed by the world in Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, she added.

The minister criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government’s policies, highlighting surge in unemployment and poverty during its four-year stint which was marred by corruption and inefficiency.

She claimed that the PTI chairman was still busy in hatching conspiracies.

Marriyum said during the floods, the Federal Government provided ample assistance to all provinces and took every possible measure to help the affected people.

She said that during the past 15 months rule, many steps had been taken for transformation and upgradation of the Ministry of Information and its attached departments. The PTV virtual studios had been set up, besides launching of PTVflix, she added.

Similarly, she said, the entire archives of Radio Pakistan had been digilatized with the completion of Rs 4 billion digital mondiale technology projects. Now Radio Pakistan’s transmission would be listened in 55 countries, which was a historic step taken by the government.

Taking a jibe at the PTI regime, she said that they started a debate about the sale of assets and buildings of Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television Corporation.

Instead of raising slogans for getting cheap publicity, the present government in the short span of only 15 months took practical measures to improve the financial health of the two national institutions and their transformation through the introduction of the latest technology, she added.

She said the Foreign Media Digital Wall project at the Directorate of Electronic Media and Publications was a very important development.

The Public Sector Department Programme project launched during the previous fiscal year was aimed at simultaneous monitoring of electronic, print and social media, she added.

The minister said she had inaugurated the Phase-I of the project which had been completed. A central monitoring unit was set up here which had the latest software used internationally for monitoring of 90 local and 35 electronic media channels, 15 daily newspapers, 500 plus Twitter handles, 500 plus Facebook accounts, 200 plus YouTube channels,200 plus Instagram and other digital platforms, she added.

It was the first ever monitoring system in the country, which would run on artificial intelligence based on machine learning speech recognition process, Marriyum said, adding she had already issued directives that if media channels were interested in its use, the government could enter into partnership with them.

She said that the officers and staff of DEMP and Secretary Information and Broadcasting Sohail Ali Khan and all consultants who worked on the project deserved special appreciation.

Its software also recognized both speech and text, with the capacity to monitor over 35 foreign news channels and social media space, she added.

The system would assist all the ministries in monitoring of news related to them, the minister said.

She said the restructuring process of External Publicity Wing of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was also started.

Marriyum said when she took oath as Information and Broadcasting Minister during the previous PML-N government, she had given the vision of such a monitoring system. She briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about the system, who immediately gave his approval for its installation.

She said unlike its predecessors, the present government during its15 months rule had taken revolutionary steps for the revival of economy, restoration of the IMF programme, infrastructure projects, energy projects, hospitals, Olympics parks, sports projects and the PM’s Youth Programme.

Following the prime minister’s vision, flood victims were rehabilitated, economy was put on track, restoration of relations with friendly countries was done and now the coalition government was leaving the country at the rebuilding stage, she added.

To a query, she criticized the PTI chief for disappointing the neighbouring countries during his tenure.

Regarding the caretaker setup, the prime minister had announced that the decision would be made in consultation with the coalition parties, she said in response to a question.