Prime Minister-elect Shehbaz Sharif in his inaugural speech on Monday announced a parliamentary probe into the alleged threatening letter and offered to resign if the conspiracy to oust Imran Khan is proved.
He said the services chiefs, DG ISI, the foreign secretary and the ambassador concerned will be invited to the briefing. He said the facts about this much-hyped issue will be brought before the nation.
Shehbaz claimed he would resign immediately if there is a shred of evidence of a foreign-led conspiracy to topple Khan’s government.
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He said that the letter should be placed before the Parliamentary Committee on National Security in an in-camera briefing, which should probe to dismantle the narrative of foreign conspiracy to oust Imran Khan.
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An increase in salaries and pension, the revival of the laptop scheme for students were also among the topics of the speech of the PM-elect.
Prime Minister-elect Shehbaz Sharif has announced several relief measures for the low-income people, including ten percent raise for pensioners from this month.
He said he would also appeal to the business community to increase ten percent salary of their employees drawing less than Rs100,000 per month with effect from this month.
The prime minister-elect also announced to increase minimum wages up to 25,000 rupees per month.
He said Benazir Card will be revived and extended linking it with education.
He said the youth will be provided skills and technical education to become useful citizens of the country.
Shehbaz Sharif also announced the provision of subsidized flour under the Ramazan package.
The Prime Minister-elect said people have been suffering a lot due to high inflation and unemployment. During the last government, he said, six million people became unemployed and 20 million were pushed below the poverty line.
He said the total debt of Pakistan was Rs25,000 billion till 2018, but during the last three and a half years, Rs20,000 billion rupees were added to the total debt of the country.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed confidence that the situation will improve in days to come through the hard-work of the new government.
He said as “Khadim-e-Pakistan,” he would do his best to bring the country out of crises.
Shehbaz said he would take all the provinces along in his efforts for the progress of the country. He said, “We will have to set aside mutual differences and move forward with consensus.”
Referring to foreign policy, he said relations will be further strengthened with all friendly countries including China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Turkey. He said Pakistan’s relations with China are time-tested as Beijing has always supported Pakistan in its hour of need.
He said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) mega project will be implemented at “Pakistan Speed.”
Shehbaz Sharif said the European Union is the biggest destination of Pakistani textile exports, as fifty percent of Pakistan’s textile goods go to the European countries.
He expressed confidence that the GSP Plus status for Pakistan will be renewed. He said the United Kingdom has always backed democracy in Pakistan, and he will try his best to further strengthen Pakistan’s relations with the UK.
Talking about relations with the United States (US), Shehbaz Sharif said they want relationship with Washington at equal level. He said the trade with the United States is worth billions of dollars.
He said Pakistan wants good neighbourly relations with India, but durable peace is not possible without resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions.
He said Pakistan will continue extending its moral, diplomatic and political support to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK).
He also assured Palestinians to raise their voice for their right to self-determination for resolution of Palestine issue.
The House will now meet on Saturday at 4:00 pm.
