ISLAMABAD: Senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday criticised the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) policies, saying the party had promised paradise to people in ‘Naya Pakistan’ but it was “pushing them into hell instead”.
Addressing a press conference, PML-N leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif and Ahsan Iqbal said that people are suffering owing to the hike in gas and electricity prices.
“This [PTI] government is the least popular in the popularity surveys,” Ahsan Iqbal claimed. “In the Naya Pakistan film they promised people heaven but pushed them into hell.”
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Imran Khan, Iqbal said, “You said that you will accumulate a revenue of Rs190 billion and that people will shower taxes after looking at you. You claimed that people trust you and you collect funds, but in the first quarter after you assumed power the deficit rose by Rs100 billion.”
“We spent Rs122 billion to buy land for the dam and that too has now become a nightmare. You chanted ‘dam dam’ and made a fool of the nation,” he continued. “This government is a threat to the nation and the economy has suffered a loss of Rs700-Rs1,000 billion. The money that came from China and Saudi Arabia was used up in the deficit they caused.”
Addressing reporters, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said, “The arrest of Sindh Assembly speaker without any proof is unwarranted and an attack on democracy. This is not a personal matter of Agha Siraj Durrani but that of a sitting speaker.”
Stating that “no one has reservations with inquiries”, Abbasi said, “No evidence has been found against Saad Rafique as yet. The National Assembly speaker should issue Rafique’s production orders as it is his right to represent his constituency.”
The former premier continued, “The government should summon meetings on the economy on Saturday and Sundays as well. The nation should know that the incumbent is economically oppressing them.”
“There was no need for a hike in electricity and gas prices,” he said while adding that they are not getting a chance to raise the issue of inflation in the Parliament.
In his speech, Khawaja Asif alleged that Prime Minister Imran had directed his ministers to lie so much that people start believing it is the truth.
“The premier is saying that the previous [PML-N] government should be blamed for all issues. PM Imran’s ego is higher than the Himalayas.”
“We want to save the system and want it to run but the government has no such intention. PM Imran’s government is just standing on lies,” Asif said.