PML-N says country made IMF’s colony

Marriyum Aurangzeb hints at launching protest against govt

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The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday condemned the federal government’s decision to sack heads of central bank and the top tax collection authority and said the country has been turned into the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) colony.

Top leaders of the PML-N, which underwent a major restructuring on Friday, met at the party’s central secretariat to exchange views on the PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s return to jail, the overall situation of the country, the PML-N’s future strategy and activating the party at all levels.

According to sources, the leaders decided to launch a protest against the government’s policies inside and outside the parliament.  Later speaking to the media, the PML-N senior leaders said Nawaz Sharif whose six-week bail period is going to end on May 7 will surrender to authorities on the same day.

A day before the party restructuring, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had stepped down as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, awakening the rumour mills that said Shehbaz, who is facing multiple graft cases, will not return to Pakistan now.  However, the PML-N leader said Shehbaz Sharif visits London every year and will return to the country in eight to 10 days.

Speaking on the occasion, Rana Sanaullah said: “The country has been made a colony of the IMF on whose instructions the government on Friday changed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman.”

He said the party will be organised to activate it at the divisional and district levels. “The government has made it difficult for the poor to make ends meet and the IMF’s team has been included in the cabinet. The party is organised to rid the country of this incompetent govt,” he said.



Sanaullah termed the Supreme Court’s Friday decision not to grant ‘permanent bail’ to Nawaz Sharif as regrettable, adding that the former premier has the right to a bail on medical grounds.

To a question about Shehbaz Sharif’s team being ousted and Nawaz Sharif’s team being ushered in through the reshuffle, Sanaullah said the team of Nawaz has entered with approval of Shehbaz.

“This is the first stage during which the Central Working Committee and Central Executive Committee have been reorganised.”

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who was appointed as the PML-N’s senior vice president on Friday, said Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and all party workers share the same narrative. “Who will disagree that the vote should not be respected?” he asked.

He said the disgruntled party leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has not contacted with the party. “There is still a place for Chuahdry Nisar Ali Khan in the party and in our hearts,” he said. Abbasi said Maryam Nawaz has played an active role in the party. “Her presence in the party will motivate the workers.”

Former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal admitted that there has been a delay in the restructuring of the party but said now they would work 24 hours.  He said the government’s move to abolish the local body institutions was illegal and unconstitutional.

“For the first time in the history of the country, Pakistan has been made an IMF colony. The PML-N will not allow the country to be sold and strong protests will be carried out against this move,” he said.

Hamza condemns rise in POL prices

Hamza Shehbaz, who is also one the PML-N vice presidents, condemned rise in petroleum prices and termed it unacceptable to the public. In a statement, Hamza said owing to 10% inflation, the prices of vegetables, fruits, household items and everything had increased manifold.

He asked Prime Minister Imran Khan how people would survive the entire month in their existing situation when it was getting difficult to survive even a single day. “The rise in prices of petrol be taken back immediately as the public could not tolerate the oppressive reign of inflation anymore,” he said.

The PML-N central spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb also criticised the federal government policies and said Prime Minister Imran Khan had surrendered the entire country to the IMF.

“First the county's finance minister was sacked to make way for the IMF's pick for the job and now Khan had appointed the SBP governor and the FBR chairman on whims and fancies of the IMF,” she added.