Rana Mashhood claims IMF deal kept petrol prices from hitting Rs1,200/litre

Minister calls recent fuel, electricity price hikes 'painful', criticises former PM Imran Khan's stance on IMF deal

Rana Mashhood, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, has described the recent increases in fuel and electricity prices as "painful".

"If Pakistan had not entered the IMF programme, petrol would have cost Rs1,200 per litre and electricity Rs400 per unit," he stated while speaking to the media during his visit to NED University and the University of Karachi on Wednesday.

Mashhood criticised former PM Imran Khan for his stance on the IMF deal. "He [Imran Khan] had warned that Pakistan would face bankruptcy without the IMF, however, after his departure, Shaukat Tareen was reportedly trying to derail the very deal he once supported," Mashhood said ironically.

Mashhood didn’t hold back on his criticism of political rivals, calling for a ban on military wings of political parties and an apology from PTI for the incidents of May 9.

"Pakistan’s future is bright," he assured, despite the ongoing turmoil.

On the topic of higher education funding, Mashhood lamented the lack of public outrage over past austerity measures and the severe IMF conditions negotiated by Tareen, who was the finance minister during PTI's tenure.

He praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for maintaining higher education funding amidst budget cuts.

Mashhood also expressed frustration with the judiciary, suggesting that delays in legal cases have hampered political stability.

On a lighter note, he announced the creation of a Sports Endowment Fund and new sports academies, noting that sports are finally being recognised as a serious industry in Pakistan.