Dawn.com
February 8, 2022
Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on Tuesday 15 per cent increase in the salaries of Frontier Corps (FC) and Rangers personnel.
The premier made the announcement while addressing a ceremony in Naushki, where four members of the armed forces, including an officer, were martyred last week during a terrorist attack on a security camp.
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa was also present on the occasion.
At the outset of his speech, PM Imran paid tributes to the "heroes who neutralised terrorists and saved lives" during the last week's attacks.
"I am in Naushki today to give army jawans the message that the entire nation is standing with them," he said.
He commended the country's armed forces for their performance in the war on terror, saying that the manner in which they had fought the war and protected the country in "challenging times" was unrivalled.
None of the other defence forces anywhere else in the world, including Afghanistan, matched the calibre of Pakistan's armed forces, he added.
"The nation is confident now that terrorism cannot prosper in Pakistan. I want to tell you (armed forces) on behalf of the entire nation ... we are confident that no [act of] terrorism can cause any harm to the country."
The premier then announced a 15pc increase in the salaries of FC and Rangers personnel, acknowledging that inflation had been growing in the country.
But, he added, the entire world was witnessing a "storm of inflation" at present and even developed nations like the US and Britain, which had more resources than Pakistan, were seeing highest inflation in years.
"I do realise that the salaried class is facing difficulties and I assure you that we want to [improve] the economic situation so that we are able to further increase people's salaries," he said, adding that however, the government was helpless in some aspects.
For instance, he said, there had been an increase in fuel prices internationally. "And Pakistan imports it. So what can we do in Pakistan" if the prices increased globally, he added.
PM Imran then again gave the assurance that his government would increase salaries with the increase in revenues.
In this regard, he also urged businesses and large corporations to increase the salaries of their employees.
Speaking about Balochistan, the premier claimed that no "democratic government" had invested funds and carried out development work in the province more than his.
Presently, he said, his government had allocated funds for the construction of a highway that would link Chaman, Quetta and Karachi.
Describing it as one of the biggest projects for the province, he said it would immensely benefit Balochistan.
"Balochistan is lagging behind [the rest of the country] ... and so, we aim to focus on it and funnel funds to the province as our revenue increases," he said. "We will carry out development work here to such an extent that nobody will listen to elements who provoke people here against the government and armed forces."
He further said that during his recent visit to China, President Xi Jinping had assured him that the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would benefit Balochistan the most. He added that technology transfer, information technology and industrialisation would be covered under the next phase of CPEC.
Moreover, the premier said, China was also fully supporting Pakistan in the agriculture sector. And "if we manage to increase our output even by half of the current production, we will be exporting agriculture produce," he said.
