Pakistan’s economy worse than that of Sri Lanka: Imran

PTI chief says strong govt with public mandate can pull country out of financial quagmire

LAHORE:

PTI chairman and deposed premier Imran Khan on Sunday claimed that the economic situation of Pakistan had worsened even more than that of Sri Lanka.

However, he added that a strong government with a public mandate could pull the country out of its economic quagmire.

Addressing the nation via video link from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore, the PTI chief reiterated that free and fair elections were the only solution to the current economic and political instability in the country.

Referring to a recent report in the renowned economic magazine Bloomberg, Imran pointed out that the publication had highlighted that the economic situation of Pakistan had worsened even more than that of Sri Lanka.

“Today, the rate of inflation is higher in Pakistan than in Sri Lanka,” he added, quoting the magazine.

The PTI chief maintained that “Mir Sadiq” would be an unsuitable title for former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa as no enemy had harmed Pakistan in the manner he hhad

“He [Bajwa] imposed on the country all the corrupt people, who had no stake in Pakistan,” he claimed.

“Over 60% of the current federal cabinet members are out on bail in corruption cases when they were given the government,” he repeated.

“These imported rulers did nothing for the country and its people but removed their names from the Exit Control List (ECL) because their entire wealth and assets were abroad,” he added.

Imran maintained that in just one year, these “imported rulers” had ruined the national economy.

“Everywhere in the world, inflation is declining except in Pakistan,” he added.

Imran thanked the “people of Pakistan” for expressing solidarity with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial as well as standing up for the supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law in the country.

He claimed that people came out of their homes to over 4,200 points to express solidarity with the CJP.

He added that these rallies were not held for an individual but for the supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law in Pakistan.

Read  PM Shehbaz calls 'cunning' Imran a liar from 'head to toe'

Criticising Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the PTI chief maintained that both of them spent hundreds of thousands of the taxpayers’ money on the UK and India visits and “earned” nothing but humiliation for the nation.

He added that Shehbaz spent hundreds of thousands dollars on the UK visit when the country’s economy was crippling.

Similarly, he continued that without giving thought, Bilawal travelled to India to “humiliate” the country.

However, the PTI chief said the behaviour of the Indian foreign minister was beyond any diplomatic norm and condemnable.

Commenting on the ruling coalition's proposal to hold elections in October, Imran said the government was seeking additional time to file extra cases against PTI activists and arrest more of them.

“However, they [the rulers] should know that none of these tactics will work,” he continued.

The PTI chief maintained that an armed attack was carried out to murder him earlier.

“Hundreds of PTI leaders and activists were arrested and tortured. But they [the rulers] could not stop us from holding rallies and raising voice against them,” he continued.

He further claimed that PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur had received an unprecedent reception when he was released from jail by a court.

“All these [actions] will prove to be counterproductive for the ruling coalition [parties] as the people of Pakistan have seen their real faces,” he said.

Imran reiterated that elections were the last hope.

He added that once the people of Pakistan would learn that elections were not being held in the country, the situation in the country would be even worse than that in Sri Lanka.

“Nobody would be able to control [the situation] then,” he continued.

He said the PTI would continue its struggle for supremacy of the Constitution as it dictated the rule of law in the country.

Imran alleged that the “corrupt” Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had illegally imposed PM Shehbaz and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s governments in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, respectively, under the pretext of the caretaker set-ups.

Speaking about the arrest of PTI rally participants in Islamabad and the alleged torture on them, Imran noted that the the court had permitted the party to stage the “peaceful” demonstration as it was their right.

However, he claimed that after midnight, the Islamabad police imposed a ban on their rally.

Castigating the Islamabad police chief, Imran maintained that he was a corrupt officer, who was working as a “personal servant” for PM Shehbaz.

“I personally know him [Islamabad police chief] as he was the same officer who was involved in the multi-million rupees safe cities project scam. He was also involved with 'Dirty Harry' when he hatched a conspiracy to attack me at the Islamabad Judicial Complex,” he alleged.

Earlier during the day, Imran met the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister as well as his cabinet members and discussed the current political situation.