Sanaullah admits helplessness in oil price hike

Says Pakistan could have defaulted like Sri Lanka if previous govt’s agreements with IMF were not fulfilled

FAISALABAD:

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that they are saddened by the rise in prices of petroleum products but are helpless.

Talking to the media in Faisalabad, Sanaullah said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf came to power and only took revenge, “they trapped political opponents in false cases and took revenge from the people by raising prices”.

The interior minister said that the International Monetary Fund conditioned the end of the subsidy, the agreement was signed by Shaukat Tarin, if not, “we will be responsible for it”. “I can show Shaukat Tarin's signature on the agreement made with the IMF,” the minister said, adding that they came to power and saved the country from bankruptcy with difficult decisions while former prime minister Imran Khan violated the IMF agreement.

He claimed, “If the previous government's agreements with the IMF had not been fulfilled, Pakistan could have defaulted like Sri Lanka.”

The minister said that the common man was aware of the difficulties in inflation, “we are all helpless and very sad about the rise in oil prices”.

Sanaullah said that due to bad governance during the last three years, inflation increased, adding that it would now be eliminated.

The minister said that the Imran Khan was trying to make that person the chief minister, whom he used to call the biggest dacoit of Punjab.

Last night, he said, Imran Khan was saying that if he was not brought back to power, “he (Imran) will start crying”.