Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar says political parties should agree on policies and development projects that continue regardless of which party wins an election.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has called for political consensus on long-term policies and development projects, saying initiatives that benefit the public should continue regardless of which political party is in power.
Addressing a workshop in Islamabad, Tarar cited Punjab’s Rescue 1122 service as an example of how governments can preserve and expand successful initiatives introduced by political rivals. He recalled that when the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz came to power in Punjab in 2008, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was a political opponent, but then-Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided not to discontinue his Rescue 1122 initiative.
Tarar said the service was subsequently expanded across Punjab and eventually developed into a national-level emergency response model. He also referred to the Khushab road project, whose inauguration was carried out by Nawaz Sharif in 2016, as an example of development work that should be viewed beyond political divisions.
The minister highlighted the establishment of a new Digital Communication Department at the Pak-China Friendship Centre near Shakarparian. He said the department now has a fully functional setup and also proved useful during the war.
According to Tarar, the department has introduced artificial intelligence-based media monitoring to identify major news developments, issues and public debates. The system also uses speech-to-text technology to automatically convert television discussions into written records for monitoring and analysis.
He said the federal government has offered provincial governments technical and professional assistance to establish similar digital communication structures. Tarar described the initiative as a permanent institutional asset rather than another conventional social media cell.
Tarar also announced the launch of a project called “Pakistan TV,” whose team has an average age of 28. The platform is producing content showcasing Pakistan’s culture, music, cuisine, arts, tourism and scenic beauty.
He said the government’s broader objective is to use digital platforms, provincial coordination and cooperation over the next two to two-and-a-half years to project a positive image of Pakistan internationally.
Turning to Balochistan, Tarar said the province has remained a priority for the government and emphasized its important role in the federation. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir attach particular importance to Balochistan’s rights and development.
Tarar said the decision to build National Highway N-25, despite the possibility of reallocating savings elsewhere, received broad political support across Pakistan. He described the absence of opposition from Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a positive example of national consensus on Balochistan’s development.
He added that Shehbaz Sharif had maintained a special focus on Balochistan even during his tenure as Punjab chief minister, including dedicated opportunities for students and universities from the province.
Tarar further said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has allocated Rs15 billion to Balochistan for efforts against terrorism, adding that the Balochistan government formally thanked her for the additional funding.
The minister said the government intends to strengthen institutional cooperation, digital communication and inter-provincial coordination so that development initiatives can continue beyond political cycles and contribute to a more positive global image of Pakistan.
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