ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again offered a ‘Charter of the Economy’ to put the country on the path of economic sovereignty and continuation of its journey in the right direction, adding that the rupee has been gaining strength against the US dollar every day because of the government’s policy to curb imports.
In his televised address to the nation on the eve of 75 Independence Day on Saturday, the prime minister commenced by paying rich tribute to those who had sacrificed their lives for the independence 75 years ago. He said that “we celebrated Independence Day and Youm-e-Quaid but had not adopted their real objectives.”
The premier regretted: “we have not been able to make the country so that Quaid and hundreds of thousands souls should have been satisfied and happier.” As a result, he said he is happier and restless on the 75th Independence Day. He stated: “we have to admit with open heart this fact that we have failed to give new generation and children what they really deserved.
The prime minister said that political leadership after the creation of Pakistan faced the economic and administrative difficulties, courageously, and the country was given unanimous constitution and made nuclear power despite pressure.
However, he said that today nation is being faced with the crisis of being divided, and seeds of hatred are being sowed and besides, more importantly, economic crisis created by the previous government has worsened the situation. He said that ‘financial dependence’ has become national recognition of the country and this was his bitter experience after becoming prime minister April 11, 2022.
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He said that there is only one way to get over this situation: firm belief (Yaqeen-e-Mohkam), and hope and there are also opportunities in every crisis, adding that the present government has already started efforts to exploit the opportunities, to steer the country out of the crisis. “We have saved the country from the default,” he added.
The prime minister said that the previous government has left behind $48 billion trade deficit and consequently, to deal with the trade deficit the present government had to borrow loans from multilaterals and friendly countries. Is this a real freedom (Haqeeqi Azadi), he questioned and added that previous government added a Rs 20 trillion debt.
He said that the Pakistan was self-sufficient in 2017-18 in wheat and is importing today wheat of billions of dollar due to negligence of previous government. He said that previous government had not done any LNG deal, when the prices were very low, and as result there is load shedding in the country. He asked on whose signals, the previous government closed the CPEC project.
He said that thousands of megawatts electricity projects are being envisioned to save the foreign exchange reserves and provide affordable electricity to the people.
The prime minister said lets become a nation on the 75th Independence Day as this is high time that “we should prefer national interest over political interests for the sake of the country” and should not become hostage to personal interests. The prime minister said that country could deal with the challenges with political and economic stability and evolving consensus on continuation of policies.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022