Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar has become indispensable economic manager of present times due to her courage to challenge the GDP growth figure of the previous government despite the fact that she was member of the cabinet.
Holding the same portfolio in Shaukat Aziz-led government, she referred the GDP growth purportedly achieved by the previous government as "artificial" in her budget speech in the National Assembly on Saturday. The former Pakistan Muslim League (Q) MNA, who joined the Pakistan People's Party before the last general elections, said that the present government highlighted our economy, which could not sustain a high level of artificial growth.
This was the first time that a minister-level official of the previous government has put the claims regarding the GDP growth in a new controversy. The previous government had claimed to have achieved an average growth of seven percent in the GDP during its five-year term. Even at that time, there were many critics, who had challenged these figures. Some analysts blamed that the GDP growth was achieved by changing the base year. But it is never too late at least she has made an effort to put the things in order. It is a very common proverb.