PPP ‘limited to advisory role’ in govt

Party’s Information Secretary Faisal Kundi says decisions are prerogative of PM, PML-N

LAHORE:

Pakistan Peoples Party was only giving its advice to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while the decisions, financial or otherwise, were the prerogative of the government, PPP Information Secretary Faisal Kareem Kundi said on Sunday.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Kundi said if the PPP – which is the second largest party in the coalition after the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) – came to power at the Centre, only then it would take decisions of its choosing.
“The PPP is limited to an advisory role only. The party gives advice when and where it is needed,” Kundi said. “The decisions are the prerogative of the prime minister and his party,” Kundi said, when asked why the PPP was not able to turn around in the economy.
Recently former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari had said that if he came to power in 2023, he would turn Pakistan around “110%”.
He warned that if the current government failed to provide relief in load shedding, rising inflation and price hike hikes, while the dollar continued to rise, the people would see this government’s performance through the same lens they saw the previous government.
“The government needs to consider opening new avenues to provide relief to the masses. He suggested oil purchases from Russia and Iran. The IMF, he added, needed to be engaged for loan, but Pakistan must look for cheap markets for fuel.
“Iran oil is available all the way to Dera Ismail Khan. This does not come in jerry cans, it gets smuggled in large containers, which pass through several checkpoints before entering Pakistan,” he said. “Why not bring it in legally,” he added.
Asked if the PPP was satisfied with the handling of economy by the current regime, he said it was too early to say. He added that the government needed a few months’ time to perform before any opinion could be reached.