LAHORE: Terming Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s statement about having $10 billion ‘ridiculous’, Spokesperson for Punjab Chief Minister and Punjab Government Musarrat Jamshed Cheema said on Monday that industries are closing down but the “opulence of despotic rulers is on full display”.

“When there is no trading, there is no trade deficit. After emptying the government kitty, Ishaq Dar has kept an eye on the savings of hapless Pakistanis,” she said.

“Foreign exchange reserves are less than $4.5 billion and the imported government wants to usurp citizens’ money as public property.”

In a statement, she said the nation has never seen a more ignorant government, as the “imported cabal” is calling the reduction in imports as the recovery of the economy. “Someone should tell these incompetents that a reduction in machinery imports means a reduction in production and (increase in) unemployment,” she remarked.

This “dollar thief” emptied the dollar accounts of citizens in 1998, she said. “Investors are worried after Ishaq Dar’s statement because he is a launderer of citizens’ money in commercial banks. The federal government has plans to spend the hard-earned money of the people on its luxury.”

She maintained that another decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan was in favour of Ishaq Dar who has played havoc with the economy. Instead of disqualifying him, she said, an illegal relief was granted to him while overturning the law of taking an oath in 60 days.

The election commission’s utter bias against PTI is not hidden from anyone, she said.

“The inept league has always manipulated umpires to further its political designs. If the leadership of PML-N is not in power, it is not even in the country,” she said. The daily quest for flour has started due to the incompetence of the federal government while the ministers are openly threatening that there is no money for salaries.

Each day of the “incompetent gang” is like bringing new punishment on the people, she added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023