Incumbent govt, while putting its own politics at stake, has put country on right direction: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
ISLAMABAD, July 31 (SABAH): Senior Vice President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that incumbent government, while putting its own politics at stake, has put the country on the right direction. He said that the country could not afford immediate elections.
Shahiq Khaqan Abbasi expressed these views during in an interview with a private TV channel. He said that they have mandate to rule the country till August 17, 2023. He said if they would have not been in the government then dollar price would be Rs 400 and rate of inflation would be 250 percent. Where the country has been thrown it is not easy to rectify it in few days.
The former government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had worsened the country’s economy to an extent that no institution of the world including International Monetary Fund (IMF) relies on Pakistan, he said, adding the incumbent government has tried to bring stability in the country by taking tough decisions besides further such decisions could be taken.
He said that Imran Khan took the country to a state it is required almost five to seven years to bring it back at the level of 2018, adding the steps taken by the current government were relied by the IMF.
If United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman was made some call by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in connection with release of tranche from IMF then this was done in the interest of the country, he said.
He said that Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had gone to London for his treatment that is underway, adding as long as his treatment completes, he will return back to the country. If someone wants to bring him back then he could try it, he added.
The previous government made agreements with the IMF and broken them once and again and acted in such a way that no other country can do so, he said. He said the previous government started to sell petrol and disease below than its purchase prices, it didn’t increase electricity price for two years, it didn’t increase price of gas as well which ultimately resulted into country’s circular debt of Rs 5000 billion. One day someone has to pay price for all such things, he said, it was the mistake on their part that they preferred country’s interest to their own politics.
“After no confidence motion, I was not in favour of forming government and was in favour of going for holding fresh elections but in terms of country’s interest I was not at right footings. As for as the matter of political interest in concerned, my point was justified one,” he said.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that IMF has declared that it has reached at an agreement at staff level with Pakistan as seventh and eighth reviews have been accomplished. He said the IMF has a particular process to do so besides the previous government so many times ditched the Fund that now it has become very careful in dealing with Pakistan.
He said when the elections will be held then people will make decisions. During August, the country’s current account deficit will be negative and more dollars will pour into the country while fewer dollars will go out of the country which is indeed performance of the minister for finance, he said.
He said the way Imran Khan did politics, its credit should go to him but PML-N only talks about the interests of the country. “If they have committed some mistake then they apologies in this regard and all others should also do the same by mending their ways as it is need of hour for the sake of the country,” he added.