Army chief should discuss economy at NSC meeting, not publicly: PML-N MNA

Rana Afzal Khan says NSC is the right forum for raising such issues

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Rana Afzal Khan said on Saturday that the army chief should raise his concerns over the country's economy at the National Security Council's (NSC) meeting instead of doing so publicly.

"We should look at what the state of the country's economy was four years ago," the PML-N leader told reporters in Faisalabad. "The country had gone bankrupt back then."

He added that the economy had improved significantly during the tenure of the PML-N government and there had been a marked improvement in tax returns.

"Even then if the army chief has any concerns over economic issues, all we are saying is that he should take up the issue at the NSC meeting as that is the right forum for it," he remarked.



Federal Water and Electricity Minister Abid Sher Ali, who was accompanying Afzal, said the government respected the judiciary, but except a few, all judges had references filed against them [with the Supreme Judicial Council].

Abid held former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf responsible for the country's economic woes.

"Nor was there a single inch of transmission line installed during the nine-year tenure of the dictator [Musharraf] and the five-year tenure of the Pakistan People's Party, nor were any development projects started," he maintained.

The minister added that three [military] operations were launched during the PML-N government's tenure.

"Resources were provided to the armed forces to combat terrorism," he said. "We stand by our jawans and acknowledge the sacrifices they have made."  

Abid said Pakistan belonged to all its 22 million citizens, not to one institution alone.

"The PML-N government is solving the issues faced by the business community and keeping the development of the country its top priority."

Referring to the ruckus at an accountability court a day earlier, he said it happened outside the court not inside it.

"Our daughter Maryam Nawaz was present at the court. Unlike Musharraf she didn't use back pain as an excuse," he added.