The major opposition political parties-Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP)-in National Assembly on Thursday criticised the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on price hike, saying a mafia from within the government is earning billion of rupees by looting the masses.
The PML-N and PPP also urged the Speaker National Assembly to constitute a committee of the House to investigate that how the prices of sugar, flour crisis, medicines were shot up in six months.
PML-N leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Prime Minister Imran Khan only sees the corrupt elements in PML-N and the opposition, but he does not see them within the ranks of his own government. In an obvious reference to sugar barons within PTI, he questioned that who is making billions of rupees profits by hiking sugar prices when sugar mills owned by Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif are shut down.
"PTI members own 45 percent of sugar mills. A committee comprising parliamentarians should be formed over inflation to determine the responsible persons," he added. "The plunderers present within the government will destroy the government as people are unable to get sugar and flour," he said.
He claimed that wheat and flour are being smuggled from Punjab to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and from there it go to Afghanistan, adding the thieves and dacoits are in the ranks of PTI government. "Mr Speaker, you should fix a day to hold a debate on the issue of price hike and shortage of wheat and flour in the country", he added.
The PML-N leader said that according to survey, the corruption has increased by 2 percent while 70 percent price hike and unemployment have been recorded. He said that the prices of gas and electricity have been increased but circular debt is yet to be ended. The circular debt of one year of PTI government is equal to last five years of PML-N government.
"All countries have evacuated their citizens from China, and it is the government's duty to bring back our students who are not suffering from coronavirus in China," he demanded.
PPP leader and former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the country is facing wheat and flour crises. He said that Pakistan was among the exporter countries of wheat when PPP was in power. He said that the lives of the people are in miserable condition due to price hike the country. He also said demanded a debate on skyrocketing inflation and shortage of wheat and flour in the country.
"Mr Speaker, constitute a committee and you will see I give you my words that we'll track down the mafia within a week time," he claimed. The PPP leader also demanded that the government should take immediate measures to bring back the students stuck in China due to coronavirus.
Responding to the opposition members, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that mafias and cartels will be taken to task wherever they exist. He regretted that the previous governments supported these mafias and cartels, adding we are ready for scrutiny over wheat crisis and maintained that the government has no objection over constitution of committee into the issues.
Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has fixed Tuesday for starting a debate on the issue of price hike and increasing in prices of flour, sugar and others. Dr Nausheen Hamid, parliamentary secretary on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination said that regular flights have been started from China to Pakistan. She said that there are 28,000 to 30,000 Pakistanis in China. She said that the screening of the passengers is being made at the airports.
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