Tarar brands PTI ‘anti-national’

Minister says party miscreants bent upon sabotaging deal with IMF

ISLAMABAD:

 

Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Friday said a handful of miscreants associated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was bent upon sabotaging Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that was crucial for economic stability.

“In a bid to disrupt Pakistan’s ongoing talks with the IMF, some miscreants protested in front of the IMF and World Bank offices in the United States and indulged in sloganeering against Pakistan Army,” he said while addressing a news conference.

The protesters belonging to the PTI were urging the IMF to give funds to Pakistan only if their jailed leader was released, he said, regretting that “activists of an anti-national party” continued to hold sit-in and protest outside the IMF office.

“This is a fashionable crowd and these are the enemies of Pakistan who are left with no love for the country,” the minister said while paying tributes to the overseas Pakistanis who were sending their hard-earned money to the country by doing white- and blue-collar jobs abroad.

He said these people were protesting to stop funding to the people of Pakistan were wearing costly branded shoes and carrying branded bags.

They only wanted to sabotage the IMF deal because their dream was to make Pakistan default but Inshallah, Pakistan would make progress and the growth rate would increase soon.

The heinous conspiracies of anti-national elements would not have any effect on the IMF deal, the minister said emphatically, adding the imprisoned PTI founder chairman was involved in Tosha Khana fraud, 190 million pound scam and cypher case.

He advised the PTI to approach courts of Pakistan for release of Imran as IMF and World Bank had nothing to do with his cases.

Tarar said that country was stable today with the sacrifices of martyrs, Ghazis and efforts patriotic political leaders.

The Allah Almighty had always protected Pakistan from external and internal threats and the talks with the IMF were going on positively which was also reflected by the trends in stock exchange, he added.

"We have been voted by the people to solve the problems in the country, not to increase them”, he maintained.

He said under the vision of the Prime Minister, efforts would be made for making the country prosperous through hard work.

The Prime Minister, he added,  had given a comprehensive agenda on economic reforms including restructuring FBR, increasing tax network, reducing government expenditure.

He said since the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took over the power, the economic situation has started improving.

The minister said that the Prime Minister wanted an early solution to the country’s problems and he had been pursuing the vision to chart the country on path of progress and prosperity.

He said that international organizations like Bloomberg were hailing the appointment of Muhammad Aurangzeb as the Finance Minister of the country as he had command over economic affairs.

The minister said that unfortunately an anti-national party involved in May 9 incidents was conspiring and working against the interests of Pakistan.

He said that the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz faced imprisonment due to fake cases but it never compromised on honour and dignity of the country.

Tarar urged the youth to side with Pakistan instead of any political party, adding “This is the mission of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and we will be moving forward with the same spirit.”

To a query, he said the PTI would be requested in the dialogues to refrain from taking any such initiatives that undermined economy or country.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Asad Qaiser, lamenting the treatment meted out to his party by the government, has said his party would adopt an approach of “no reconciliation [but] only confrontation”.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said, “We are completely ready. There will be no reconciliation, only confrontation.”

“There is a difference between words and actions. The government says one thing, and does something else,” he remarked.

He further said the government’s actions against the PTI MNAs were “outside the law”.