ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that there would be no more tolerance for cross-border terrorism and termed it Pakistan’s ‘red line’.
Addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the premier said he wanted to work together with neighbouring countries for peace in the region and added that Pakistan has made great sacrifices to end terrorism.
Referring to the IMF programme, the premier said that the country was in dire need of continuing the programme and maintained that the “prior (PML-N) government saved the country from default.”
Read: PM vows to eliminate terrorism from country
During the meeting, he also requested the judiciary and the chief justice to decide all cases on merit.
Regarding the austerity policy, the prime minister said that reduction in expenditure of the government is necessary, adding that there were many unnecessary departments, while the important ones should be handed over to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.
Notably, in the cabinet meeting, members including the prime minister decided not to take salaries and perks in light of the economic challenges.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also decided to forego their salaries while in office citing the economic challenges faced by the country.