Entire country shut down for first time since 1977: PML-N

LAHORE: The PML-N leadership has praised the unity of traders’ community displayed in observing a countrywide strike on Saturday, saying that it proved people’s no confidence in the PTI government’s economic policies.

Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, in a statement, alleged that the PTI government sold the nation to the IMF, adding that the rulers were extracting the blood of people to fulfill IMF loan conditions. He said the successful strike across the country fulfilled Prime Minister Imran Khan’s dream of ‘lock down of the country’.

Shahbaz said the rulers thinking has never gone beyond “will kill, will topple and lock down”. He said the nation was bearing the brunt of atrocities against innocent political prisoner Nawaz Sharif. He said the ex-PM had freed the country from load-shedding, price hike and lawlessness. He said Nawaz gave the nation respect, roads and employment. The growth rate during the Nawaz government was 5.8 per cent that perturbed the enemies. Similarly, he said, inflation rate was merely 3 per cent. He said revenue generation was also high. Getting out of IMF clutches and 60 billion dollar Chinese investment were big achievements of Nawaz. “Only my elder brother could protect national interests. He should be released without any delay”, he said.

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also commented on the “successful strike” on her twitter account. “Where are you selected? The entire country has been shut down for the first time since 1977. Come out of the Banigala palace and see closure of factories, markets, shops and media houses from Karachi to Peshawar,” her tweet read.