PM: Solution to nation’s problems is rule of law

Prime Minister Imran Khan said yesterday that the solution to Pakistan’s problems was rule of law.“Look at the situation in Pakistan today, those in power who became prime minister and president, they are not trying to prove their innocence in court,” Khan said while addressing a ceremony at the President House in connection with Minorities Day.He added that when answers are sought from those who put the country in Rs24tn in debt, they allege political vengeance.Giving the example of the State of Madinah, Prime Minister Khan said that all problems of Pakistan could be solved if the country followed this model.He added that the rule of law and the rights of minorities were central to the State of Madinah.“Our ideal is to move towards the State of Madinah. There is no rule of law in our country. If there is rule of law, most of your problems will be resolved,” Khan said.A lack of rule of law, the prime minister said, meant that there are separate laws for the rich and the poor.“The Prophet (PBUH) said that several nations have been destroyed before, where there were separate laws for the rich and poor,” Khan said.The prime minister stressed that his government wants to make a modern state modelled after the State of Madinah.Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that the prime minister has ordered a report into the incident involving columnist Irfan Siddiqui.In a tweet, she said that a decision will be taken in light of the facts, and those responsible would be punished.Siddiqui was arrested for violating tenancy law by Islamabad police on Friday.He was later released on bail.Siddiqui has alleged that he was subjected to humiliation at the police station, and was produced before the court handcuffed.Awan said the prime minister has taken notice of the incident and expressed displeasure.She said that Siddiqui suffered due to the lacunas in the legal system, which the prime minister is determined to remove.Meanwhile, the prime minister would be launching in the first week of August a campaign targeted at planting 140mn saplings across the country.The monsoon plantation drive will be kicked-off with the planting a sapling on the “Plant for Pakistan” day.Around 1mn saplings would be planted on the first day, for which a ceremony to inaugurate the drive will be held at 161 places.According to official documents, 9mn saplings will be planted in Punjab, 104mn in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 15mn in Sindh, 1.2mn in Baluchistan, 3.3mn in Gilgit-Baltistan, 7mn in Azad Jammu Kashmir, and 500,000 in Islamabad.On the first day of the campaign, 1mn saplings would be planted – 224,000 in Punjab, 600,000 in Sindh, 70,000 in KP, 10,000 in Baluchistan, 5,000 in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 3,000 in Islamabad.Punjab Forest Department deputy director Mohamed Salim Malik said that school students, college students, members of non-governmental organisations and citizens from all walks of life will participate in planting saplings in their respective areas.Earlier this year, the ministry of climate change planted around 95.4mn saplings across the country under the “Plant for Pakistan” programme.A target of planting 141.6mn saplings during the spring season was set across the country.The ministry had recovered some 2,500 acres occupied public land in Baluki, where the Prime Minister Khan had kicked-off the campaign on February 9 at the beginning of spring season.