Govt targeting Imran instead of fixing economy: PTI

Hammad says 'imported' rulers 'fear' former premier

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Punjab General Secretary Hammad Azhar fired a broadside at the incumbent government over the economic crisis, saying the "incompetent rulers" are busy playing political games and targeting Chairman Imran Khan instead of focusing on fixing the economy and providing relief to the common man.

While addressing a news conference here on Saturday, he said that the country was facing unprecedented inflation; last year, the inflation rate stood at 12.4%, which climbed to 35.4% whereas a 47% increase was seen in the prices of food items.

He said that the price of a 20kg bag of flour was Rs1,120 last year while today it was Rs2,600.

“The three-time increase in food inflation has been caused by high electricity tariff and petrol prices, and devaluation of the rupee, which were much lower when we were in the government,” he said, adding that there was no governance in the country and the "imported government" had a fixation with the PTI chief, as the rulers "fear" him.

He also castigated the government for seeking political mileage from free distribution of wheat flour, saying that a political drama was staged to gain cheap popularity; they parked trucks filled with wheat flour at markets to show off their false concern for the people. He said that the whole scheme was mismanaged, as many people were killed and injured while trying to obtain a bag.

“For their cheap popularity, the government played with the self-respect of the poor people; in our tenure, we sent money to poor people at their homes through our the Ehsaas Programme,” he added.

“These tyrant rulers did not care about anything except their looted wealth and politics. Millions of people are jobless due to the closure of industries in large numbers. The interest rate has reached 22% and an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not in sight. The economy is in a complete mess,” he said.

He noted that all was not lost; the economy could still be salvaged, but tough economic decisions were needed.

“First, we need to bring stability in the country, which will automatically stabilise the economy, and for this immediate free and fair elections should be held,” he added.

He also came down hard on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif for threatening the Supreme Court (SC), saying he took an NRO (amnesty) to clear his corruption cases worth Rs1,100 billion.

“He was threatening the courts and the system of Pakistan. In his recent news conference, he implied that if the apex court gives a decision according to the Constitution and law, the value of the rupee will further decline,” he added.