Imran rubbishes talk of 'minus one' formula.

Byline: Amir Wasim

ISLAMABAD -- Dismissing increasingly loud opposition chatter about a 'minus one' formula, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday vowed to go after 'mafias and cartels' and announced that his government was now embarking upon a plan of massive institutional reforms.

'This is the only solution available to us to bring Pakistan out of trouble,' Mr Khan said during his second appearance in the National Assembly in five days.

'Reforms are inevitable now. There is no option,' declared the prime minister while addressing an opposition-less house amidst desk-thumping and sloganeering by the treasury members.

The speech came soon after completion of the budget process with the passage of supplementary demands for grants worth Rs544 billion in the absence of the opposition members, who had walked out of the house after having a verbal clash with the treasury members.

'There can be no more tinkering with the system. Be ready for drastic changes. Whenever we will go for changes, the beneficiaries of a corrupt order will resist it,' the prime minister said in his 44-minute address.

'The money that should have been spent on education, health, clean drinking water, hospitals and on welfare of the poor is being poured into loss-making (state) institutions.'

'The power sector is the biggest curse (for the country). We inherited huge loans in the power sector obtained during the last 10 years,' Mr Khan said, also listing the Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) and Pakistan Railways among other loss-making institutions.

Vows to go after mafias and cartels, carry out institutional reforms

Unlike his previous speech in the National Assembly during which he had mostly spoken about the performance of his 22-month-old government, this time the prime minister also dwelt upon the future plans of his government.

Refuting reports about differences within the ruling party and its allies, the prime minister said the opposition was talking about 'minus one formula' only to save its corruption.

'They (the opposition) don't know that even if minus one happens, the others will not spare them,' the prime minister said without any reference, thus fueling the speculations already going on in political circles about a possible change in the set-up.

Referring to the opposition leaders' statements against the government's plan to privatise the PSM, the prime minister said the people who had ruined the Steel Mills, PIA and the power sector...