ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday held former prime minister Imran Khan responsible for the price hike of petroleum products in the country.

During a press conference, she blamed Khan for the sudden hike in prices of petroleum products.

She said, “When Imran khan learned about the no-confidence motion being tabled against him, Khan subsidised the prices of petroleum products.”

She said that Khan was the one who had signed an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and he was the one who continued to subsidise the prices of petroleum products due to which the PML-N government had to make the tough decision of partially removing the subsidies.

The government on Thursday had decided to partially remove subsidies from petroleum products in a bid to convince the IMF to revive its programme for Pakistan, one which is deemed crucial for resuscitating the country’s economy.

While criticising former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan, she said that “Azadi March” was a failure and by revealing that he and his party were not prepared for the so-called “Azadi March”, he has accepted his defeat.

The minister said that Imran Khan and his supporters were not prepared for the march because the only preparation they had carried out was to assemble “arms and sticks”.

They were preparing for a khooni(violent) march, she said, adding that the PTI supporters were misled because of Khan’s false narrative.

She said that the only reason he returned to Bani Gala was that he had accepted his defeat and as against the claims of assembling two million people, he could not even mobilise 35,000.

She said hardly 15 to 20 cars were accompanying him when he reached Islamabad. She further asked Khan what was stopping him from continuing his march. The Supreme Court had given you a go-ahead for the march and there were no impediments. “You kept on calling everyone to join your march but people were not interested.”

She also held the former prime minister responsible for being responsible for the martyrdom of a police constable in Lahore and said: “The policeman took a bullet to his chest because of your politics of negativity.”

She added that Khan did not even have the courtesy to visit the widow and children of the martyred police constable.

“Imran Khan should apologise to the children of the martyred police officer,” Aurangzeb demanded.

The information minister further added that Khan defied the orders of the Supreme Court and continued to move towards the federal capital’s D-Chowk.

He himself did not reach the D-Chowk but he provoked his supporters to violate the apex court’s order.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022