Govt mocks PTI as remittances soar

LAHORE:

Emboldened by record-breaking remittances, the government appeared to have found a new confidence on Friday as it took a victory lap, ridiculing the PTI civil disobedience call as a failure.

Riding on the coattails of the cash sent home by overseas Pakistanis, the ruling PML-N took a swipe at the PTI, claiming that the party's call for civil disobedience had fizzled out, with foreign remittances hitting a record high despite ex-premier Imran Khan's attempts to stoke anti-government sentiment.

The ruling party also lauded the overseas Pakistanis for the "categorical rejection" of the attempts at destabilising the economy.

"Congratulations to the nation on the morning of prosperity as anarchists' night comes to an end... overseas Pakistanis have rejected those who called for civil disobedience," Punjab senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a statement.

The remarks came as the SBP announced $3.1 billion in remittances for December, showing a 29.3% year-on-year increase and a 5.6% rise compared to the previous month.

Adding to the day's achievements, PIA resumed its long-suspended flights to Europe, with the first flight to Paris taking off after a hiatus of more than four years.

The developments came as the PTI had earlier launched its civil disobedience movement with demands for the release of political prisoners and a judicial probe into the events of May 9, 2023, and the November 26 crackdown. Imran Khan had urged supporters to initiate the movement by halting remittances in its first phase.

Felicitating the nation on the strides, Aurangzeb credited the record remittances as a categorical rejection of PTI's campaign, stating, "Overseas Pakistanis have dismissed these anarchists' pleas by sending $3.1 billion to Pakistan".

On the resumption of PIA flights to Europe, she accused the PTI of harming national assets with reckless statements. "Who will answer for the loss of four and a half years?" she questioned.

She further claimed that the PML-N had saved Pakistan from default and brought inflation to a record low.

Similarly, Bilal Azhar Kayani, Convener of the National Parliamentary Taskforce on Sustainable Development Goals, called the remittance figures a "categoric rejection" of PTI's campaign.

In a statement posted on X, he said the development was additional proof of Pakistan's macroeconomic recovery under PM Shehbaz Sharif. Kayani lauded the critical role overseas Pakistanis continue to play in strengthening the country's economy.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also lauded the nation on both the remittance milestone and the PIA's successful flight to Paris. "The claims of those who had been chanting to halt the country's economy have proven to be baseless," he said.