Opp bloc warns of state collapse

TTAP leaders decry NFC tensions, rising joblessness

ISLAMABAD:

The opposition parties on Wednesday blasted the federal government's economic performance and governance failures, warning that rising poverty, unemployment and fiscal mismanagement were pushing the country towards an unmanageable crisis.

Addressing a joint press conference, Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP) leaders, including Zubair Umar and Asad Qaiser alleged that the ruling setup had failed to honour constitutional obligations, particularly those related to provincial shares and economic parity.

Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser said the government had "failed in terms of economic policy", adding that inflation and unemployment had spiralled to such an extent that people no longer have money for two meals a day.

He also decried the long-delayed meeting of the National Finance Commission (NFC), saying that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) was not receiving the share it was entitled to.

He recalled that the committee headed by Sartaj Aziz had recommended allocating Rs1,000 billion for FATA's development, and that following the tribal areas' merger, the province's NFC share had been set at 19 per cent.

However, he alleged that even gas royalty payments due to KP had been halted.

Qaiser said the province had been turned into "a part of international politics" by handing over airports to foreign entities, and reminded reporters that K-P bore the scars of both the Afghan war and the war on terror.

He noted that these conflicts had deterred investors and left the tribal districts without employment opportunities, education facilities or functioning markets.

He said the tribal belt covered 2,000 kilometres, and yet, "the businesses of tribal people have been labelled as smuggling."

Qaiser further said that the suspension of Afghan transit trade had compounded unemployment in K-P.

While acknowledging that Pakistan had "issues with Afghanistan", he insisted there were "different ways" to resolve them and noted that the PTI founder Imran Khan had also expressed concern over deteriorating ties.

He questioned why Pakistan was willing to negotiate with India but not explore diplomatic solutions with Iran and Afghanistan. "We are democrats, this country is ours," he said.

He added that the TTAP was "with the Pakistan Army, not against it," but stressed that every institution must remain confined to its constitutional domain, noting that during the PTI's tenure, Pakistan had improved trade links with Afghanistan and several African countries.

Former Sindh governor Zubair Umar said Pakistan's exports had declined while the trade deficit had surged by 37 per cent.

Citing various officials, he said senior military officer General Sarfaraz had admitted that "business can no longer run in Pakistan," while the SIFC had conceded that the investment climate was not conducive.