Only polls will pull the country out of the quagmire: Imran Khan
LAHORE, Jan 03 (SABAH): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday the two political families had plundered the country for 30 years.
Addressing the party workers on the matter of whitepaper via video link, the deposed premier expressed his concern over the current situation, saying that he feared the direction in which the country was going. Recalling that there was no example of what happened in the last eight months and adding that, considering the situation, 700,000 people left the country.
Talking about the exports, Imran Khan said there was a dire need to solve the problems of the exporters, claiming that the PML-N left the country in a historical deficit, questioning how the country can be transformed into an “Asian Tiger” and “Paris” for Lahore if exporters were not considered important.
Giving his thoughts on the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Imran Khan stated that approaching the IMF would cause the country discomfort, adding that if the country received loans from the IMF, it would be difficult to make independent decisions.
Imran Khan slammed the coalition government, saying those involved in activities such as money laundering were now teaching the country a lesson.
Imran Khan gave reference of the economic survey, saying that after 17 years, it was his government that delivered for the country with perfection.
Talking about the NSC meeting held on Monday, Imran Khan said that he came to know that it was decided in the huddle to impose a ban on taking the greenback abroad.
Imran Khan expressed concern about inflation, saying, “The prices of flour, onions, tomatoes, ghee, pulses, petroleum products, and power have increased by up to 200 percent.”
Speaking on the textile sector, Imran Khan said, 1.5 million people were left unemployed in the field of the textile sector, adding that in his tenure, there was a lack of availability of labourers in the textile sector.
The former premier also expressed his concern over the depreciation of the rupees against the US dollar.
Recalling the significance of the fresh elections, Imran Khan said that only polls will pull the country out of the quagmire, reiterating that without political stability there is no chance of economic prosperity.
The deposed premier again cited Sri Lanka, saying that the country was going through the same situation, lamenting that it was difficult for salaried people to survive under the circumstances.
Speaking about the next government, Imran Khan stated that the successor to the incumbent government should have come to power through a mandate.
Imran Khan slammed the government once more, claiming that the incumbent government came to power by buying the people s conscience with money they [the government] plundered. He believed that the masses were against the coalition government.
He lamented that the government, which was showing great performance, was toppled and thieves were imposed on the country.
The PTI’s whitepaper on Tuesday highlighted a comparison of prices of food items in the last nine months of the PDM government with the previous nine months of the PTI government, revealing that the prices of food items had increased alarmingly in the last nine months.
The party presented the white paper in the presence of PTI leaders Hammad Azhar, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Shaukat Fauyyaz Ahmed Tareen and Asad Umar.
It was informed that price of flour increased by 86 per cent in the last nine months, while flour was available in every market. During the last nine months, the prices of milk increased by 28pc, rice by 60pc, meat by 16.4pc and egg by 115pc.
Similarly, the prices of tomatoes increased by 34pc, onion by 338pc, cooking oil by 15.2pc, fruits and vegetables by 50pc, tea leaves by 60pc, and sugar by 7.3pc.
Earlier, the PTI leaders presented the whitepaper on Pakistan’s economy during a seminar in the provincial capital.
Addressing the ceremony, economist Ali Khizar said some worrying news was coming up for Pakistan. “We may witness food and electricity shortages in coming months.”
He explained the difficulties for Pakistan regarding debt servicing. “The government is unable to run the IMF programme because of the political uncertainty”
The absolute failure of Ishaq Dar as Finance Minister explained by KP finance minister Taimur Khan Jhagra, speaking on the occasion, said in just nine months, the PDM govt had withheld around Rs232 billion from their province alone.
He said the federal government was not fulfilling its promises regarding merger of FATA and that the KP was dealing security threats in former FATA on its own.