LAHORE: Rejecting hike in the prices of petroleum products, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz Saturday forecast packing home of Imran-led government.
Talking to media persons before his departure to Faisalabad to lead a PDM rally there, Maryam said that hopes of those who made long planning had washed away and the so-called regime is going to fall anytime. She added the performance of PTI government had put its future in jeopardy.
Maryam said, it looked quite difficult that the government would see through the ongoing year (2021), what to speak of completing its five-year term in 2023. She maintained that a hike in petrol price has a spiral effect and everything gets expensive; the people still have to make their ends meet in just Rs 20,000, as not everyone lives in Bani Gala and has ATMs.
Maryam said that the government has robbed the people and now the poor are paying a heavy price for the government's incompetence. She also criticized the government's indifferent response regarding dengue and said that the people are dying because of the government's incompetence and indifference towards the pain and suffering of people. "If Shehbaz Sharif was ruling Punjab, the people would still be getting free medicines," she added.
To a query, she said they (PTI) were waiting for the call from US President Joe Biden and the US diplomat had met those whom they wanted. She said her meeting with them (US diplomat) was a bad news for the 'selected' prime minister. She said she had a discussion with the US dignitaries on a variety of issues, particularly on Pakistani politics.
Moreover, PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah told the media separately that the time has come for a long march towards Islamabad. Expressing serious reservations over the increase in petroleum prices, Rana asked the people to take to the streets. He said that the joint opposition and the PDM should announce the long march, as the people would not be able to absorb the price spiral. The PML-N leader maintained that purchasing power of the people has finished while the PM allowed a double increase in the prices of petroleum products as against the recommendation made in the summary. He said that the people are facing injustice due to the directions of the IMF.
To another question, Rana said the present regime has caused much harm to the economy; therefore, it would not be possible for one single party to tackle the challenges. He said that all the parties must sit together to get rid of the 'puppet' and afterward ink a Charter of Economy to deal with the economic challenges.
PML-N MPA Hina Pervez Butt has moved a resolution in the assembly against hike in the petroleum products' prices. The resolution says that the opposition parties reject the government's decision regarding increase in POL prices, which is not acceptable. It adds that the government has made the increase in these products' prices a habit which it repeats every fortnight.
Furthermore, PML-N leaders Azma Bukhari, Khawaja Salman Rafique, and Khawaja Imran Nazir expressed concern over a surge in dengue cases and held the government responsible for poor handling of the situation. Azma Bukhari said that as many as 373 dengue cases were reported in Lahore in a single day while the hospital's beds are totally occupied.
Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the number of dengue cases is much more while Peshawar and its surrounding areas, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore are the worst hit by dengue cases.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021