Decision to amend NAB law made in the interest of the country: PM Imran.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that the amendment to the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, was "a tough decision" but one that had to be made in the interest of the country.

"The decision was difficult because a party that has had a 22-year-long struggle against accountability and is considered strict and is viewed to have this mission, [is under greater scrutiny]," said the prime minister, as he addressed a gathering of civil servants in Islamabad.

"There was a lot of criticism, including by the opposition [..] it was not easy because we had to carry our party too because in a democracy you need to develop consensus within the party and its leadership," he continued.

"Our real aim is wealth creation so the country which is buried under the burden of loans [can be freed]," explained PM Imran.

Read: PM's aide on accountability breaks down amendments to NAB ordinance

The premier said that in the last ten years, Pakistan has mounted a debt of Rs24 trillion.

"It was 6 trillion but from 2008-2018 it rocketed to Rs30 trillion. Half of the tax we collected last year was spent on interest payments.

"The key right now is wealth creation in the country," he reiterated.

PM Imran said that wealth creation will take place when there is industrialisation in the country, when its agricultural output increases and when the housing scheme brought in by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, along with its 40 associated industries, takes off.

"For that, our governance system needs to be streamlined so decisions can be made expediently," he said, adding that decisions weren't being made due to a fear of the National...