ISLAMABAD
\nFederal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif effectively pleaded the case of Palestinians during his historic speech at the United Nations General Assembly as the leader of Muslim Ummah.
\nAddressing a press conference, the minister said that PM Shehbaz\u2019s address to the UNGA was highly appreciated all over the world, which was an honour for Pakistan. The prime minister championed the causes of Muslim Ummah, including Palestine and Kashmir, he added.
\nHis bilateral meetings with heads of state and government of other countries on the sidelines of the UNGA session also proved very fruitful and constructive in that regard, the minister said. Tarar said that the PM\u2019s speech also proved that Pakistan\u2019s foreign policy was successful and that Islamabad was an important player both at the international level and in the region.
\n\u201cThe prime minister vociferously raised the Palestine issue in his UNGA session and during his meetings on the sidelines, which was acknowledged by the international community and that is a matter of pride for Pakistan,\u201d he reiterated.
\nThe minister said that PM Shehbaz had always raised the Palestine issue at all international fora. He not only highlighted the Palestinians\u2019 genocide and Israeli war crimes in Gaza but also stressed that the aggressor should be brought to justice.
\nThe PM\u2019s UNGA address was among the most watched events on the internet, and it would figure on top in the UN history as there was a true representation of the sentiments of entire Muslim Ummah, he added.
\nTarar said that led by PM Shehbaz, the Pakistani delegation boycotted the address of Israeli prime minister and many other countries followed suit, whose representatives also walked out of the General Assembly hall. Netanyahu delivered his speech in an almost empty hall, he added.
\nHe said that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also appreciated Pakistan\u2019s support and termed PM Shehbaz his brother. \u201cThe President of Palestine recognized and lauded the role of Pakistan highlighting the Palestinian cause at every world forum,\u201d he maintained.
\nThe Palestinian president, he said, also appreciated Pakistan for sending medical supplies and granting admission to Palestinian students in its medical colleges. The minister said that Pakistan was the only country in the world which had written on its passports that they were valid for all countries except Israel.
\nTarar said besides Palestine, the prime minister also effectively highlighted the Kashmir cause in his UNGA speech and made a special mention of Kashmiri freedom struggle icon Burhan Wani.
\nThe PM, he said, also pointed out the Hindutva supremacist approach of the Modi regime which was converting Muslim majority in occupied Kashmir into a minority. He not only criticised India for its atrocities in Kashmir but also warned it against any misadventure against Pakistan, the minister added.
\nTarar said it was a good sign that the entire Pakistani nation had appreciated the PM\u2019s speech and even the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supported lauded him for effectively pleading the Muslim Ummah\u2019s case. He said that the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other international financial institutions were appreciating Pakistan\u2019s economic growth.
\nIncrease in growth rate and reduction in inflation were being acknowledged globally, he said adding the conclusion of the IMF agreement was an appreciation of the government\u2019s economic initiatives.The minister said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also appreciated improvement in Pakistan\u2019s economy which was also a good sign.
\nInvestment in the country, he added, had increased after lowering interest rate while inflation rate had been curtailed to a single digit. The decrease in inflation from 32% last year to 9.6% this year was a great achievement and it would further fall soon, he added. According to September data, it had further fallen to 6.9 per cent, the minister said.
\nTarar said that the international financial magazine Bloomberg had also described the economy of Pakistan in better condition. All the economic indicators were positive as increase in GDP growth, reduction in policy rate and inflation, 14% increase in exports, favourable environment for investment were the proof of stability, he added.
\nThe minister said that the price of petrol had been reduced for the fifth consecutive time as decease in its price internationally was being passed on to the public. He urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to use the provincial government\u2019s resources in controlling prices and terrorism instead of attacking the Federation.
\nHe said that the opposition was worried over the economic stability with reducing inflation and growing GDP growth rates. He, however, warned that they would not be allowed to create chaos and anarchy and ruin the national economy.
\nHe said that under the Constitution, the Parliament was the supreme institution which had the power to legislate and amend the constitution.He said that the government believed in the supremacy of the Parliament and would take steps to ensure the same.
\nReplying to media persons questions, the minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s UNGA speech was continuation of the legacy of Nawaz Sharif\u2019s vision. On one hand the prime minister castigated Israel and on the other the Israeli media was writing articles in favour of PTI founder, he added. The PTI leadership should at least have condemned the Times of Israel\u2019s write-up, he said.
\nHe said that \u2018revolutions\u2019 could not be blocked by containers or hurdles, as in fact the PTI had failed to mobilise the public for its so-called agitation. To a query, the minister said that the price control mechanism was effectively working in Punjab and the Federal Capital, but in the KP, the government officials were busy in asking the people to take part in protest rallies.
\nAbout the upcoming SCO conference, he said it would be an honour for Pakistan to host the event. He assured the media that the law enforcement agencies would be asked not to create hurdles for working journalists in performing their professional duties during any protest rallies. \u2014DNA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif effectively pleaded the case of Palestinians during his historic speech at the United Nations General Assembly as the leader of Muslim Ummah. Addressing a press conference, the minister said that PM Shehbaz\u2019s address to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":434663,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-434647","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n