Previous govt of PTI destroyed economy, plundered the country & left it at the verge of default: Marriyum Aurangzeb

ISLAMABAD, July 17 (SABAH): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that we will complete our tenure and hand over the country to the caretaker setup after having secured Pakistan, setting it back on the right track, ensured economic stability, and fostered working relations with International partners and brotherly nations. “We will complete our tenure, hand over the Government to a caretaker setup, Insha Allah win the upcoming elections and return to serve the people of Pakistan with the same courage, determination and vigour”, she said. Marriyum Aurangzeb said the government has not only saved the country from default but also stabilized the economy and provided relief to the masses over the last fourteen months.

While addressing a press conference on Monday, Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the present Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has taken concrete measures in the last 14 months to stabilize the economy and once again put Pakistan back on the right track. She said that Imran Khan remained imposed on the country for 44 months, adding that there was garbage, incompetence, incapability, theft, corruption, economic destruction, unemployment, inflation and last nail in the coffin was to violate and suspend the IMF program while decreasing the petroleum prices in March 2022. She said that Imran Khan violated the IMF program to save his politics and committed enmity with the economy of the country while seeing no confidence motion being succeeded against him. She said that Imran Khan left the country at the verge of the default.

She regretted that the previous government of PTI destroyed the economy, plundered the country and left it at the verge of default. She said the focus of the previous government was only victimizing political opponents.

The Information Minister said that we are leaving behind a stabilized economy and the dividends of which are also coming to the fore.  She said various sectors including IT, energy are attracting investment through Special Investment Facilitation Council.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said we have added thirty nine hundred megawatts of electricity during the last fourteen months. She said not a single megawatt was added by the PTI government during four years. She said we have reduced our dependence on imported furnace oil for electricity generation to zero.

The Information Minister said that the discounted oil has started arriving from Russia while we have also signed an agreement with Azerbaijan for cheap gas.

Alluding to the measures taken by the government for the relief and reconstruction in the flood affected areas, she said despite difficult economic situation, direct cash assistance was given to the flood victims under Benazir Income Support Program. She said we also gave Kissan package to turn the challenge of flood into opportunity for the farmers. She said resultantly, the country registered record wheat crop this year.

The Information Minister said that the Budget of BISP has been enhanced by seventy two percent to 465 billion rupees. She said we also enhanced the financial assistance under the BISP by twenty five percent.

She said various schemes including that of laptop has been revived under the Prime Minister Youth program to empower the youth.

The Information Minister said that Ramazan Package was also given to provide essential commodities to the people at reduced prices through Utility Stores Corporation. She said it was also the first time that “free flour” was provided to extend relief to the common man.

The Information Minister said a package of twenty billion rupees was also given for the rural areas of the federal capital. She said metro buses are plying on various routes of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. No sector of the federal capital is without mass transit system. She said an Olympic village is also being established in Islamabad to engage the youth in sports activities.

She said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited all flood areas, which devastated our country and inundated millions of hectares, and not only stood beside those who were in dire straits, but the proceeded to provide funds, and then raised Pakistan’s concern at all International levels.

She said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the public transport system of Islamabad and now travel with ease, comfort and security. This mass transit system within the capital is solely the vision of the Prime Minister and his desire to serve citizens.

She said that the Prime Minister took exhaustive measures to ensure Pakistan would not default. He held multiple confidence-building measures with the IMF, International donors and friendly nations, she said.

“Today the country is once again back on track, with economic activity, and stability once again re-emerging. From agricultural loans to youth empowerment to development projects, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has yet again stabilised the country in the short span of just 14 months” Marriyum Aurangzeb said.

“If Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could spend 14 months and 3900 megawatts to the grid, restore the confidence of Pakistan in the Int’l arena, provide development funds, laptops for deserving students, deal with natural calamities and save Pakistan from default, then why couldn’t the previous Government perform in 4 years”, she said.

She said that from a situation of chaos and uncertainty to one of stability, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and our coalition partners have spent the short time of just 14 months providing much-needed recovery and reprieve to the people of the country.

Responding to a question, the Information Minister said the caretaker setup will be announced after consultations between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly in accordance with the procedure laid down in the constitution.