Performance review: ‘There has been a narrative shift regarding Pakistan over the last two years’ | The Express Tribune

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government on Tuesday presented its two-year performance report on the second anniversary of it assuming office, reviewing its achievements in terms of governance, economic and diplomatic challenges.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar and Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar presented the two-year performance of the government at a news conference in Islamabad.

“We have overcome the hard times with full vigor,” information minister said while referring to some of the positive economic developments that emerged in the past week-and-a half. The minister said that he wanted to tell the nation that the government was at a stage where it could be said that “good times have begun.”

Senator Faraz said that the press conference was arranged to present the PTI-led government’s two-year performance before the people. “Under democracy, government is answerable to the people,” Faraz underscored.

The information minister said that the purpose of the PTI government is to establish a welfare state based on the principals of the state of Madinah as opposed to doing politics for merely achieving personal gains. “Serving people of Pakistan is the top priority of the government,” he said, adding that while others were busy politicking for personal gains people have rejected the politics of self-interest.

Faraz said that the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s thinking revolves around accountability, justice and the supremacy of merit, adding that the welfare of the people is at the heart of the government policies. Referring to the fifth generation warfare, Faraz said that the challenge for the government was to fight on the internal and external fronts as the enemies wanted to affect the economy and spread despair among the people. “We will win the war,” he said, “the nation will not fall into any political divide.”

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that he wanted to present the ‘shift’ in the foreign affairs before the people, adding that the achievements in the foreign policy should be seen in the context of the objectives of Pakistan’s arch-rival – India – and what the government achieved.

India has a stated policy of pushing Pakistan towards diplomatic isolation, the foreign minister said, saying the PTI government endeavored to do ‘effective representation’ as there was no foreign minister for a long time during the previous government’s tenure and Pakistan’s stance was not presented before several forums.

“A dramatic shift can be seen from diplomatic isolation to effective representation,” Qureshi said, adding that it was achieved on the basis of four objectives. The first objective was to revitalize Pakistan’s relations with the old ‘friends’ and forge new understanding.

Referring to the Kashmir dispute, Qureshi said it is because of the federal government’s effective policy that the brutalities faced by the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) is internationalised today.

He said the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) discussed the human rights violations for the third time in a year.

The foreign minister said despite India’s attempt to isolate Pakistan at every regional and international level, Prime Minister Imran Khan raised the Kashmir dispute at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and other international forums.

He further elaborated that Pakistan played a pivotal role in the intra-Afghan dialogue. He stressed that there has been a narrative shift regarding Pakistan over the last two years. “Pakistan is no longer considered part of the problem, but part of the solution,” the foreign minister said, adding that the country is now being viewed as a partner in peace.

In a span of two years, Pakistan has revitalised relations with its longstanding friends, Qureshi mantained. He said our relationship with China is evolving into a strong economic partnership.

The foreign minister said the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) involves industrialisation in Pakistan. It also involves enhancing agriculture productivity, poverty alleviation and human resource development.

Qureshi lauded the premier’s global debt relief initiative for developing countries. He said Pakistan signed a strategic engagement plan with the European Union (EU) and as part of economic diplomacy, also engaged with Africa.