Real fear of Imran Khan is foreign funding case: Ahsan Iqbal


ISLAMABAD, June 14 (SABAH): Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry says the government has taken difficult decisions to save the economy. He said that the real fear of Imran Khan is foreign funding case, adding that the day foreign funding case will be decided Imran Khan and his party will be disqualified. He said that Imran Khan’s foreign funding was made so that he should make Pakistan bankrupt and destroy the economy of Pakistan and he has completed this job successfully on the desire of his donors.

Talking to the media persons in Islamabad after appearing before the accountability court in Naroval Sports City reference on Tuesday, Ahsan Iqbal said that due to the agreement signed with the IMF by Imran Niazi, today current government is bound to settle the matters in light of this agreement handcuffed. He said that IMF says we did not know about the PTI or national government and we only knew that Pakistani government has signed the agreement and Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Shaukat Fayaz Ahmed Tarin have signed this agreement. He said that Imran Niazi has signed anti-masses agreement with the IMF. He said that today we are making efforts to secure best possible facilities for the masses while maintaining this agreement.

Ahsan Iqabl said that when we will quit the government after one year the threat of Pakistani economy becoming bankrupt will be averted and after this we will take the economy of the country towards rehabilitation. 

He said that Imran Niazi has left the case of Pakistan at very position. He said that the purpose of the government’s tough decisions is to save the economy of the country, adding that if we will swallow the bitter pill then after some months Pakistan’s economy will start stabilizing.

Ahsan Iqabl has requested the nation to decrease use of tea as we are used to import the tea while securing the loan. He expressed the confidence that the economy will stabilize in the next few months.

Ahsan Iqbal said the present government is giving special emphasis to the agriculture sector and has given incentives to the farmers to bolster the production of wheat, sugar and cotton. He said enhancing the production of palm oil will also help the country save foreign exchange currently being spent on its import.

The Minister for Planning said the traders’ community has also been asked to close markets by 8.30 pm to conserve the energy. He said this will help us cut import bill of petroleum products.

Ahsan Iqbal said the government is also focusing on the development projects.

Ahsan Iqbal said that former prime minister Imran khan has left Pakistan on a very weak position and PML-N government is putting their politics at stake to save the country.

The Federal Minister said, “Imran khan deliberately gave subsidy on petrol to give tough time to the next government. He said that the government has allocated Rs 4 thousand billion for the debt servicing during the current financial year, while when we left the government in 2018, the debt serving was Rs 1500 billion.”

While criticizing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Ahsan Iqbal said that his fear is the foreign funding case, whenever the decision regarding this case will be announced, Imran Khan will be disqualified.

“Imran uses tactics to threaten the institutions,” he said, adding that if decisions of cases are in his favour, the institutions are working properly and if the decisions are against him, he term them as sold. He said that sometimes Imran Khan tries to bring the army under pressure, sometimes judiciary under pressure and sometimes Election Commission of Pakistan under pressure. Ahsan Iqbal said that it our patriotism that we decided not to ignore the interest of Pakistan, adding that we will strengthened our country and will not allow destruction of the country, adding that it is our commitment with Pakistan for which we are saving the Pakistan while putting our political capital and political credibility at stake.

Ahsan Iqbal said the government is also focusing on the development projects. He said the highest ever allocation of Rs 55 have been made in the PSDP for the development of tribal districts. He said that Imran Khan should stop speaking lie regarding the allocation of the funds for the merged tribal districts. He said that Imran Khan’s government had allocated Rs 54 billion last year for merged tribal district but reduced this money to Rs 38 billion in revised budget.

He said that the oil prices have reached $120 per barrel and some analysts are saying this price could reach $140 per barrel.

On the other hand, Senior Vice President of PML-N and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the nation will have to bear the consequences of “our difficult decisions”. He further said that the government is trying the resolve the problems.

Criticizing the President Dr. Arif Alvi, he said that the President will have to fulfill his constitutional responsibilities. He said that a president does not become an obstacle in the affairs of the country but he has become.