Senior PML-N leader and former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday challenged the PTI government ministers for a live television debate on the alleged corruption in LNG deals and power projects set up during his party's previous government.
Addressing a news conference along with party leaders Maryam Aurangzeb and Musadik Malik, the former premier took responsibility of all the energy projects installed during PML-N government's tenure, saying that the PTI government should come up with concrete evidence of alleged kickbacks instead of levelling accusations.
He refuted the allegations levelled by Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry that the PML-N government had set up costly power projects, saying that the PTI government is making an excuse to increase the power tariff.
"I'm ready to have a live TV debate. If I fail to prove my claims, I'm prepared to go to the prison. Otherwise Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Fawad Chaudhry will have to go to jail," Abbasi challenged the PTI ministers.
Responding further to the allegations, he maintained that the PML-N government had set up plants which produced the cheapest electricity in the country's history and are still generating cheap electricity.
He said that it is the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) which determines the power tariff, adding that the PML-N government lowered the tariffs for the sake of the masses.
"If Pakistan's problems can be resolved by sending me and my former cabinet members to jail, we are ready for it," he said, adding: "There is, in fact, a need to send the incompetent ministers of the PTI government to jail who are not equipped with even the basic knowledge of the economic issues of the country despite attending three Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meetings."
He also ridiculed the information minister's claim that Pakistan is producing costly electricity due to the expensive power projects set up by the PML-N government, saying that it is because of these projects, the country would continue to get the cheapest electricity in the world for the next 15 years.
Abbasi said that a number of power projects, including the Thar coal power project, are in progress and will be completed in the next two to three years.
To the allegations of misappropriation in LNG plants, Abbasi said that the two terminals were set up after a bidding process. He maintained that the PML-N government had installed the cheapest LNG terminals in the world, adding that a complete record of the LNG agreement with Qatar was available and it had already been discussed in the Parliament.
"Had there been no LNG in the country, the energy crisis would not have been resolved," he said, adding that the country is making huge savings through generation of electricity from LNG instead of furnace oil.
He insisted that the LNG imported from Qatar is cheaper than the proposed Iranian gas under the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, adding that Pakistan cannot pursue the IP project unless sanctions on Tehran are removed.
The former premier also alleged PTI government for making China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) controversial, sating: "Those trying to make the CPEC projects controversial are serving the agenda of the enemies."
He also denied charges that China is providing loans on high interest rates to Pakistan, saying that the average cost of Chinese loans is 2.4 percent and these loans are payable in 20 to 25 years.
Abbasi also rejected the PTI government's charge that the PML-N had left an empty exchequer, saying when the PML-N government completed its term on May 31, there were $16 billion in foreign exchange reserves in the country.
He further said that Bhasha Dam project was not facing any financial problems, adding that the main issue was lack of political commitment.
To a question, he deplored Prime Minister Khan's recent comments about the opposition, saying that such remarks against the opposition do not suit the calibre of a premier.
Responding to another question, he expressed the fear that the PTI government will not be able to deal with the economic crisis, adding that the price hike will continue to play havoc with the common man.
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