Article 58-2(b) led to destabilisation of previous governments: Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal remarked on Wednesday that the invocation of the controversial Article 58-2(b) led to destabilisation of governments.

Ahsan was addressing an event of Pakistan Society of Development Economics at a local hotel.

Article 58-2(b), which was first injected into the 1973 Constitution by former military president Zia-ul-Haq, granted discretionary power to the president to dissolve the National Assembly. The use of Article 58-2(b) was exclusively justified by the president as necessary, for the removal of corrupt governments which had lost the confidence of the people. 

Under the Martial Law, the growth rate was boosted with the help of funding from international countries, remarked Ahsan, who additionally holds the charge of the Planning and Development Ministry, adding that artificial prosperity was promoted in the country. 

While speaking to media, Ahsan remarked that political parties should understand that holding protests affect country’s progress.

“The general elections will be held after five months,” he said, adding that protests will delay the elections.

He also said that the former finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar, who is seeking treatment abroad, saved the economy from drowning. On Monday, the accountability court hearing a corruption reference against Dar declared him a proclaimed offender due to his continued absence from the proceedings.

On the controversy surrounding FATA reforms, Ahsan shared that the FATA reforms package is ready. “Only the present government will announce the package,” he added. 

'Pakistan is now peaceful with a bright future' 

Iqbal on Tuesday commended China for trusting Pakistan in difficult times and reiterated that Pakistan is now a peaceful country with a bright future.

Speaking at a conference related to socioeconomic opportunities created by the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the minister said China signed on the project at a time when the world did not trust Pakistan.

“Now Pakistan is peaceful with a bright future,” he said, observing that Asia is the next economic powerhouse of the world.

“The assistance which the United States, Europe provided at the time of the fall of Berlin Wall, China is doing that now,” he noted, as he termed the CPEC “a mix of our 2025 Plan and the One Belt One Road project.”

Deputy Chief of the Chinese Mission in Pakistan, Lijian Zhao while addressing the event, said China’s present is Pakistan’s future.