Ahsan Iqbal hits hard at premier over ‘poor policies’

LAHORE:

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan saying who had asked him for a National Reconciliation Ordinance (a reference to relief in corruption cases) and held him responsible for the skyrocketing inflation in the country.

Addressing a news conference at party’s secretariat in Model Town, the PML-N leader maintained that the people had been suffering due to the “poor policies” of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.

Referring to the recent amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance by the National Assembly, Iqbal alleged that the premier had given NRO to himself and his friends.

“[PM] Imran Khan should tell who has asked for an NRO. After this amendment in ordinance no one will be able to question you about not acquiring LNG on time, [hike in] medicine and sugar [prices], wheat mafia and corruption in BRT (Bus Rapid Transit project),” he said.

“You [PM Imran] gave people false hopes. Today people are asking for provision of power and gas at cheap rates,” he added.

Iqbal accused the prime minister of ruining all departments of the state including the country’s economy. He asked the premier to quit office and go home.

He said due to the “negligence of the premier” the Main Line-1 railway network and the Green Bus project had been delayed.

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“Now you are about to inaugurate [CPEC’s] western route, which had been initiated by us and was scheduled to be completed in 2018. You [PM Imran] delayed it for three years,” he said.

“The infrastructure for metro bus link for Islamabad was ready but you turned it into ruins. All the development projects bear the stamp of the PML-N.”

Iqbal said the provincial and federal governments were oblivious to the protests going on in Gwadar, which the residents of the port city had been holding for the acceptance of their demands.

He asked PM Imran and Balochistan chief minister to visit Gwadar and pay heed to the difficulties of the people of the city.

He alleged that the premier had kept the gifts received by foreign dignitaries for his “personal use”.

“[PM] Imran Khan should present the receipts of the foreign gifts and the foreign funding case,” he said.

“He can be ‘sadiq and ameen’ (honest and righteous) of (former chief justice) Saqib Nisar but not of people.”