Imran hears out disgruntled PTI lawmakers.

Byline: Syed Irfan Raza

ISLAMABAD -- Prime MinAAiAster Imran Khan on MoAnday continued his efforts to appease 'disgruntled' ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members of the National Assembly and assured them of fulfilment of their demands.

The prime minister spent a busy day before the passage of the federal budget 2020-21 and met around 20 MNAs of the ruling party.

Among such meetings, the significant was one in which 13 MNAs from Karachi called on the prime minister and expressed their reservations.

Meanwhile, the prime minister cancelled the federal cabinet meeting which takes place on every Tuesday. The apparent reason behind the cancellation is said to be the session of the National Assembly on Tuesday in which supplementary demands for grants are likely to be passed.

The lawmakers who met the prime minister on MonAday were: Shaukat Ali, Nasir Khan, Amir Talal Gopal, Mian Mohammad Shafiq, Sardar Riaz MehAmood Khan Mazari, Saifur Rehman, Alamgir Khan, Aftab Hussain Siddiqui, Abdul Shakoor Shad, Fahim Khan, Atta Ullah, Aftab Jehangir, Muhammad Aslam, Jamil Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Akram, Ghazala Saifi and Saima Nadeem.

The MNAs aired their griAevances during the meeting with the prime minister and demanded their redressal.

Some of their grievances were related to lack of opportunities to meet the prime minister, no say in the affairs of the government and non-availability of basic facilities in their areas.

When contacted, Sardar Riaz Mehmood Khan, the MNA from Rajanpur, who also met the PM, told Dawn that he apprised the prime minister of demands of the people of his constituency.

He said that not only him but several other party leaders hailing from small cities and districts felt ignored.

'One of my major grievances is the poor law and order situation in my district and lack of basic facilities,' he said.

Sardar Riaz said that the prime minister assured him that he would talk to the inspector general of police (IGP), Punjab, on the issue.

He said that Rajanpur was the only district in Punjab where there was no Sui Gas.

Sardar Mazari, like several other PTI parliamentarians, asked the prime minister why non-elected people (advisers and special assistants) always surrounded him and why elected representatives were being ignored?

He said that he also asked Mr Khan that he met the party MNAs once in a year and even during parliamentary party meetings only a few party leaders, who were close to the prime minister, were allowed to speak...