Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Tuesday, underscored his desire to walk in the footsteps of the Chinese President Xi Jinping and launch a crusade against 500 corrupt leaders and individuals, packing them off to jail.
The fight against corruption has been the major theme of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s election manifesto and the first year of his tenure. This is not the first time Pakistani premier has expressed his desire to follow the example of President Xi Jinping’s mega anti-corruption drive, Imran Khan had also mentioned this during his first address upon assuming the Prime Ministerial office.
چین کے صدر شی چی پنگ کے بارے میں ہم۔نے سُنا ہے کہ انھوں نے کرپشن سے چھٹکارا پانے کے لیے 400 وزیروں کو پھانسی پر چڑھا دیا۔۔۔
کاش میں بھی اُس طرح سے 400 کرپٹ افراد کو پھانسی دلا سکتا pic.twitter.com/5gHs1nbiFS
— محترم وقاص امجد (@Waqas_amjad) October 8, 2019
The Premier has so far succeeded in mega corruption proceedings against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, alongside former President Asif Ali Zardari, amongst other politicians. However, the legal procedures and failings of Pakistan’s judicial system has made the campaign strikingly challenging for his government.
Anti-Corruption Crusade
Addressing the China Council for Promotion of International Trade, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the one policy that inspired him the most was the manner in which the Chinese leadership succeeded in eradicating corruption.
He said, “One of the greatest campaigns led by President Xi Jinping has been against corruption.” The premier added that he is aware that the Chinese leadership had pressed corruption charges against some 400 “ministerial-level individuals” and put behind jails during the last five years.
The premier was referring to Prime Minister Xi Jinping’s robust anti-corruption crusade, launched back in 2012, which succeeding at filing corruption charges against over 1.3 million officials from various sectors and departments, including the affluent and the average-income officials.
The premier observed that Pakistan also seeks to follow China’s example of freeing its 700 million citizens out of poverty during the last 30 decades.
Prime Minister Imran Khan observed that the process of anti-corruption proceedings in Pakistan tends to be extremely inefficient and complicated. He said, “I wish I could follow President Xi’s example and jail 500 corrupt individuals in Pakistan.”
The premier said that corruption is one of the greatest menaces that undermines the economic growth and investments that pour into a country. He observed that Pakistan needs to follow President Xi’s example to eradicate the “greatest obstacle to prosperity”.
The Premier described the efficient accountability process of China, where a corrupt mayor arrested on the charges of hoarding tons of gold in his house was convicted within five days. He vowed that the promotion of merit and the eradication of red-tapism, a prominent form of corruption, are his major priorities.
Great Time to do Business in Pakistan
During his meetings with multiple representatives from Chinese firms and organizations in Beijing, Prime Minister Imran Khan assured these representatives that his government has ushered in several policies and measures focused on ensuring ease of doing business.
Encouraging the investors, he said that this is a “great time of doing business in Pakistan“, and assured that his government will do everything to facilitate businesses and investors. The premier observed that Pakistan also seeks to follow China’s example of freeing its 700 million citizens out of poverty during the last 30 decades. He noted that Pakistan has much to learn from this example, and seeks to acquire expertise from China’s model of wealth generation, poverty eradication, and investment growth.
Prime Minister arrival at China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)
Ms. Gao Yan, Chairperson CCPIT received the Prime Minister.
PTV will broadcast Prime Minister’s address at China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)@ShkhRasheed @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/rxGbDtjWU6
— Shoaib Ameer (@ShoaibAmeer19) October 8, 2019
The premier said, “What truly inspires me is the manner in which China has taken 700 million people out of poverty during the last 30 years.” He observed that this has never happened before in human history, and Pakistan has much to learn from China’s poverty eradication model.
Prime Minister Imran Khan invited Chinese firms to invest in sectors across Pakistan, including textile, housing, information technology, manufacturing, technological logistics, oil and gas, financial services, agriculture, tourism, hospitality, and others.
Read more: Corruption & Pakistan: Only one thing can stay
He stated that since assuming the Prime Minister’s office, his government has taken multiple efforts to drive investment and make it easier for investors to invest across the diverse sectors of Pakistan. The premier said that the PTI-led government has taken a conscious decision to facilitate investors that would help them reap profits in Pakistan.
PM @ImranKhanPTI was received by Ms. Gao Yan, Chairperson CCPIT at China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). A number of Chinese entrepreneurs and businessmen called on PM Khan for individual meetings. pic.twitter.com/ROlaWJ8Jml
— Board of Investment, Pakistan (@investinpak) October 8, 2019
The Premier made another striking announcement, saying that the Prime Minister’s office is leading the opportunities for investors to invest across Pakistan. He said, “The Prime Minister’s office is driving opportunities for ease of doing business in our country. We have just established a CPEC Authority to eliminate the problems we were facing as the CPEC projects were being overseen across different ministries.”
The Premier revealed that after the two sides discussed, a decision has been made to maintain one authority that will resolve all CPEC-related challenges, and that authority will be the Prime Minister’s Office. He said, “My office can make it easier for people to invest in Pakistan.”