Govt's 1st year: Tarar highlights successes

Minister says PM's reforms bore fruit; slams PTI for 'politics of chaos

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ISLAMABAD:

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Monday that the country was moving ahead on the path to progress because of the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and relentless efforts of the cabinet and the institutions.

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the first anniversary of the PML-N-led government's rule, Tarar said that the government sacrificed its politics over national interest.

Shehbaz was sworn in as the prime minister on March 4, 2024, following the February 8, general elections. At that time, Tarar said, the challenges facing the nation seemed insurmountable, but the government efforts yielded a remarkable turnaround.

He lashed out at the opposition PTI for doing the "politics of chaos and anarchy, while trying to push the country towards an economic quagmire. He said that the PTI even wrote to the IMF to disrupt Pakistan's bailout programme.

On the other hand, the information minister said, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif steered the country out of economic crises, restored Pakistan's image at the international level and brought prosperity and development to the country within one year of his government.

"What seemed an insurmountable challenge just 12 months ago, [the government's effort] has yielded to a remarkable turnaround. We have not simply stabilised the economy but also charted the path to economic growth," the minister remarked.

"The PML-N took tough decisions and sacrificed its politics over national interest. PM Shehbaz Sharif is a reformist leader who knows the art of governance," he said, adding that the prime minister would bring before the public the overall performance of every ministry on Tuesday (today).

Tarar, on the occasion, mentioned the key indicators that showed that the economy was headed in the right direction. "It is no less than a miracle that inflation has come down to 1.5%, which only last year stood at 23.1%," he noted.

"Interest rate has been reduced to 12%, the stock exchange has been breaking records every other day, the current account deficit is turning into surplus, IT [Information technology] exports have increased by 32%, and overall exports are increasing."