ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Thursday dismissed the criticism on his security check at an airport in the United States during his recent private visit, saying there was no harm in following the rules and regulations of the country and to undergo such screenings.
Responding to a question about the nature of his visit and meeting with the US vice president, the prime minister told journalists that he could have asked for the US security but he did not and opted to undergo the routine security check. He said that everyone needed to obey the security protocols and mentioned that former US president George Bush had also undergone the same process. He said he had been going through such security checks at airports during his foreign trips for last 30 years.
The prime minister said during the visit, he got the opportunity to meet US Vice President Mike Pence along with Pakistan’s defence attaché in Washington.
To a question about the state of national economy, the prime minister said the sit-in had dragged the country back by many years. The Dawn Leaks and Panama cases also badly impacted the national economy. About the devaluation of the Pakistan rupee, he said it should be at its actual value. He reiterated the stance that those who bought their way into the Senate, had undermined the House as well as the democracy. Such senators and the Senate chairman should give a written declaration that they were not involved in horse-trading, he added. Responding to another question, the prime minister said only the areas falling under high loss feeders were facing the load shedding of two to eight hours. He said there was sufficient electricity in the national system to cope with the needs. He said currently there were some plants using the furnace oils and the import of the commodity would end as they are replaced with other plants.
Published in Daily Times, April 6th 2018.
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