Ahsan Iqbal blames Imran Khan's incompetency for economic downfall

Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, has accused certain judges and military generals of handing over control of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, leading to a rise in division, hatred, and the destruction of the national economy.

Speaking at a recent event, Iqbal alleged that Khan was ill-equipped to lead the country, having never managed a union council or a provincial department.

“Some judges and generals handed over the keys of Pakistan’s nuclear power to Imran Khan at the behest of his wife and children, and in return, he only managed to sow hatred and destroy the economy,” Iqbal stated.

He added that in April 2022, when his government took office, opponents predicted Pakistan would collapse within two weeks, likening it to Sri Lanka’s financial troubles.

However, Iqbal stressed that while Sri Lanka might face bankruptcy, a nuclear power like Pakistan could not afford such a fate. He credited a coalition of twelve political parties for pulling the country back from the brink and stabilising the economy through tough decisions.

“If we had held elections right after stabilising the economy, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would have returned with a two-thirds majority.

But this country would have gone bankrupt in another four months under the caretaker government,” Iqbal remarked. “We prioritised the state over politics because without the state, politics is meaningless.”

Iqbal further claimed that the financial agreements made under Imran Khan’s leadership, including the IMF deal, were inherited by the current government, forcing Pakistan to raise petrol and diesel prices in line with global rates.

"We had no option but to raise prices by 150 rupees, as the deal had already been signed. But there was no other choice," he said.

Despite the price hikes, Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the resilience of the Pakistani people, noting that there were no protests or demonstrations, as the public understood that the difficult decisions made by the government were a consequence of Khan’s leadership.

I would say that the government will continue to focus on rebuilding the economy, while rejecting protests and political disruptions, especially those orchestrated by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

“PTI’s agenda is to destroy Pakistan. We need to bury the politics of protests and sit-ins,” Iqbal asserted.