Shehbaz slams PTI for ‘spreading anarchy’

ISLAMABAD:

 

As the PTI whirred into action to unveil plans for the dissolution of Punjab and K-P assemblies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday slammed the former ruling party for “spreading anarchy in the country” and termed political stability a vital condition for economic prosperity and ridding the people of price hike.

In a statement issued ahead of PTI chief Imran Khan’s expected announcement about its plan to dissolve the assemblies, PM Shehbaz laced in his predecessor in a veiled reference, saying “someone is harbouring the desire of pushing Pakistan into default, but it would never happen".

He said that “political miscreants” were trying to create chaos in the country, adding that were not interested in serving the people, such as those who were badly affected by floods. “But their only motive is to gain political benefit.”

The prime minister reiterated the government's resolve to bring economic stability to the country and save it from default. He said that political stability was the prerequisite to save the people from price hikes.

The premier further said that there is no doubt that economic destruction was "part of an agenda and the ongoing political instability is also its continuation" and alleged that the purpose of dissolving provincial assemblies was to create political instability in the country.

“The people who had laid land mines in the economic foundations of the country, are out to do the same in the political foundations of the country,” the prime minister in a tacit reference to PTI, said.

The people who had hurt public confidence, were now out to dissolve assemblies, he said, adding their objective was to create political instability.

He vowed that they would rid the public of food inflation and unemployment similar to how they delivered their promises by removing “a liar and corrupt government” with the power of the Constitution.

He also said that in order to provide employment to the youth, it was necessary to get rid of the “politically unemployed”.

“The people who had hurt public confidence are now out to dissolve assemblies,” he added, claiming that their objective was to create political instability.

Shehbaz called upon the nation to ponder why the “wrongdoing junta” suddenly swung into action whenever the country was taken on the path of economic prosperity.

PM Shehbaz advised his political opponents to take pity on the condition of the people of Pakistan. He added that real politics was to bring the public out of the curse of poverty and unemployment.

Shehbaz added that during the past four years of the previous government’s tenure, the people had endured economic upheaval and exhorted the PTI leaders to not create hurdles in the economic prosperity of the country.

Shehbaz's statement came hours before PTI was set to set out its rally at Liberty Chowk in Lahore and other divisional headquarters across Punjab where Imran is expected to disclose the date of dissolution of the two assemblies.

Last month, Imran said that his party would disassociate itself from the “current corrupt political system” by quitting the two provincial assemblies. The PTI chief is gearing up for provincial elections following the planned dissolution of the Punjab and KP assemblies.

In this connection, the former prime minister chaired a meeting of PTI’s Central Punjab and Lahore leadership on Tuesday.

Moreover, during his meeting with the PTI’s lawmakers from Bhakkar, Mianwali, Pakpattan, Sargodha and Sahiwal, Imran assured them that the assemblies will be dissolved this month.

“I will announce the date to dissolve the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) before December 20,” said Imran.

Imran also highlighted the coalition government’s “inept” economic policies, saying that it has brought the country to the brink of default. “PTI’s politics is not against the country’s interests. PML-Q is our key ally, and we are on the same page over the dissolution decision,” he added.