QUETTA: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal Thursday said that the federal government’s ‘NRO’ is the “nation’s revival order”. He was responding to opposition parties’ claims that the ruling party has indulged in a National Reconciliation Order-like deal.
Addressing the media after inaugurating the Executive Passport Office in the provincial capital, Iqbal said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has revived the country’s economy, energy and security in the last four years.
He said a new benchmark will be set when Parliament completes its second tenure under the present government’s watch.
“Political stability is like oxygen for a country’s development,” said the minister, adding that the opposition and Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s proposed ‘All Parties Conference’ should be an exercise of national unity rather than of protest sit-ins.
He said instead of pulling each other’s legs, everyone should work together for the country’s betterment.
Praising the improvement in the country’s security situation, the minister said people can now travel from Karachi and Gwadar without fear.
He stated further that India is using Afghanistan to foment instability in Pakistan so it can make the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) unsuccessful, adding that convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav has accepted that India is pumping millions of dollars to ensure CPEC’s failure.
Iqbal said Pakistan’s competition is with India and other regional countries vis-à-vis development, saying that when our economy is strong, no country will look at Pakistan with ill intentions.
Earlier, the minister inspected the newly-launched passport facility, which cost Rs18 million.
He praised the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for setting up the office in a record four months time.
He informed that the facility will be able to accommodate 80 persons simultaneously and the process of getting one’s passport made will take 20-25 minutes.
The minister was accompanied by the head of NADRA and Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti. INP
