‘We left economy in robust health,’ says Imran

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has questioned from what he dubbed as ‘handlers’ who is responsible for the economic mess created by the ‘thieves’ in the past six months, besides reiterating that the new army chief should be selected on ‘merit’, adding that “we [the PTI government] left economy in robust health”.

While addressing the participants of his party’s ‘Haqeeqi Azadi march’ at Lalamusa through a video link from his residence here on Saturday, the former prime minister pointed out that when their government was removed, it left a healthy economy. Giving a comparison, he said that in his tenure the inflation rate was hovering around 15 to 16 percent while under this government it is touching 27 percent and the rupee has lost value by 49 rupees against the US dollar. “Moreover, the prices of petrol, diesel, and electricity have increased under the present rulers and we are also looking at unprecedented gas shortage during the coming winter season,” he added.

“Just like the coalition government, we also faced pressures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Covid-19 pandemic, but the PTI government managed to keep the economy growing and provided relief to the people. In comparison, under this government, imposed by the ‘handlers’, the economy took a nosedive; they have miserably failed to handle the economy,” he said.

According to him, the growth rate, tax collection, exports and remittance have declined in past six months and thus country does not have the money to repay its loans; in fact, the rulers were taking new loans to repay old debts.

COAS’ appointment: PTI chief again talks of merit, meritocracy

The PTI chief again attacked the Sharif brothers over the appointment of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS). He said that a ‘theatrical drama’ was taking place in London where for the past few days Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and others were deciding the appointment of a new army chief. “Ironically, the country’s most important decision relating to national security was being taken abroad and that too by those who have looted the state wealth for the past 30 years,” he alleged.

Khan again asked the ‘handlers’, “do they have no concern for Pakistan? Do they know the implications of imposing ‘thieves’ over this nation??”

He denied allegations of making the appointment of the army chief controversial by saying that he had always said that the army chief should be appointed on merit. “I do not want an army chief, judge, IG or NAB head of my liking; I want the best persons in these positions based on merit,” he added.

He went on to accuse the incumbent government of appointing people of their choice on top posts. “The appointment of Inspector General of Police Islamabad by Shehbaz Sharif was such an example; a ‘corrupt person’ was appointed to serve the PM and thus the IG will do every unlawful task given by Shehbaz,” he alleged.

On proceedings on a defamation suit filed by PM Shehbaz Sharif against a British daily, he said that the newspaper made serious allegations about Shehbaz Sharif’s theft; “the Prime Minister was mistaken that he could influence the judge in the UK to get favourable judgment”. He observed that Shehbaz was in deep trouble, as he has to prove the newspaper wrong in the UK.

He reiterated that resources are not more abundant in the UK and Europe than in Pakistan, but these countries run on a system based on justice; “the country cannot prosper until the existence of the rule of law, democracy and true freedom. “No matter how good the policies were, no country can develop without the rule of justice,” he added.

Khan said we were seeing a decisive moment in our history. He invited the people to participate in the PTI’s long march to Islamabad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022