PM Imran Khan says Opposition trying to 'buy' PTI lawmakers after all PDM efforts 'failed'

• PM Imran Khan says Opposition parties trying to "buy" the ruling PTI's lawmakers after all efforts of the anti-government coalition "failed"
• Notes that a market for buying and selling of Senate votes has "been operating for the past 30 years"
• "A country is destroyed if its prime minister and federal ministers start engaging in corruption," he says

KAMRA: Prime Minister Imran Khan said Friday there was a mandi (market) for the upcoming Senate elections and that the Opposition parties were trying to "buy" the ruling PTI's lawmakers after all efforts of the anti-government coalition under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) banner "failed".

The market, PM Imran Khan said, has been "operating for the past 30 years". He added that "prices were set to buy the politicians" ahead of the Senate elections.

The premier's remarks came during the launching ceremony of a tree-planting campaign at the Ghazi-Barotha Hydropower Project site.

"A country is destroyed if its prime minister and federal ministers start engaging in corruption," he underscored, noting that the "robbers" who ruled Pakistan in the past "not only stole money, they also wiped out all morality".

The premier said the government seeks open-ballot polls in the Senate but the Opposition is vehemently opposed to the idea and wants a secret ballot.

"The corrupt elements wish to once again set up a market for the Senate elections," PM Imran Khan said.

"Rulers of the past have built properties abroad with the money they got from corruption," he said. "When funds are stolen from the national exchequer, the country suffers a great loss."

PM Imran Khan said that rulers of the past gave the impression that corruption is "not a bad thing".

Change approach to climate emergency

PM Imran Khan also called for the nation to change their approach to climate emergency. "Trees are crucial for the future," he said.

"Unfortunately, we did not pay attention to planting trees and forests were ruthlessly cleared in the past.

"The Billion Tree [Tsunami] project must succeed to reduce the impact of climate change," he said, noting that 70% of trees in Lahore were cut down over the past 20 years.

The premier announced that the Kamra town would be added to a technology park. "To deal with climate change, we have to change ourselves as a nation," he noted.

He said he was glad the government decided to build ten sports grounds for the youth.

"Providing a field for the youth to play is a top priority," he noted, adding that playgrounds were vital to the health of the young people.

Sehat Insaf card for entire Punjab by year-end

PM Imran Khan also spoke about health insurance, noting that while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa already had the facility, the Sehat Insaf card would also cover the whole of Punjab by the end of the year.

In his comments for the farmers in Ghazi-Barotha, the prime minister acknowledged that they worked hard but the people in the go-between reaped the benefits instead. "Plans are being made to increase agricultural production and support the farmers," he added.

Earlier, the premier's aide on climate change, Malik Amin Aslam, addressed the launch ceremony, saying the Billion Tree Tsunami project was also praised by international organisations.

"The Billion Tree project, which started in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is successfully underway," he said, announcing that trees would be planted on both sides of the Ghazi Canal.

"Along with a green Pakistan, we will also build playgrounds."