ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman and ex-PM Imran Khan said Thursday that the Economic Survey 2021-22 had testified to the fact that PTI’s claim Pakistan was on the trajectory of progress and economy was thriving was correct.
Speaking at a private TV channel show, he threw light on PTI’s economic performance and said that the data about the survey clearly indicated that Pakistan was prospering on the economic front during his government. He pointed out that the PTI government had put the country on the road to economic progress and prosperity during the last two years and the country was heading towards a positive trajectory.
Imran noted that the Economic Survey had endorsed that Pakistan’s GDP was 5.74pc during the third year of PTI’s government, adding the FBR had collected a record tax of Rs6,100 billion while exports that were frozen when the PTI came into power had touched $32 billion mark.
Moreover, he said that the foreign remittances had witnessed a record increase owing to trust in the PTI government by overseas Pakistanis. Recalling the achievements of his government in the agriculture sector, he said agriculture production had witnessed a 4.4pc surge while the price of crops was provided to farmers on time for the first time.
Responding to debt rhetoric of opponents, he said the PMLN had left GDP to debt ratio at 64pc and the PTI had maintained it despite paying double interest. Lashing out at the 'imported government,' the PTI chairman said that there was a record inflation since the incumbent government had come into power.
About the PTI policy during the pandemic, Imran Khan said that he was under an immense pressure to clamp a lockdown on the whole of the country, adding that his government’s smart policy got a world acknowledgement, as Pakistan outshone other countries in the Subcontinent in employment opportunities during the pandemic.
He said they did not succumb to the pressure of the International Monetary Fund and kept the interest of the people above everything and provided them maximum relief. He pointed out that the PTI government was also asked by the IMF to jack up fuel and electricity prices, but they refused to accept the harsh conditions. He went on to say that during the PTI's tenure, the petrol price was jacked up by a mere Rs55 per litre, but the 'imported government' had raised its price by Rs60 in just 15 days.
Imran regretted that Pakistan was unable to get foreign loans owing to the incompetence of the government while Wapda’s credit rating had been also downgraded. He said NAB and FIA had now been virtually abolished; "the thieves have been made the guardians, so now the corrupt would plunder the country’s wealth with impunity." He asked the Supreme Court if the changes in the NAB law go with the spirit of the Constitution. He claimed the government was also involved in a ploy to rig the next polls, and that they would soon approach the court against new delimitation of constituencies.
The PTI chairman claimed that the house of a NAB officer probing cases against ex-president Asif Ali Zardari was raided to intimidate him. He also cited sudden deaths of FIA official Dr Rizwan and Maqsood aka Chaprasi.
Imran demanded inquiries into the deaths of Dr Rizwan and Maqsood, who had mysteriously died of heart attacks. Imran Khan said he would soon give a call for the biggest protest against the injustices being done to Pakistan.
On the passage of the NAB and Election Amendment Bills in the joint session of parliament, he said that these were going to do more harm to the country. He said that when Musharraf gave an NRO to these people, these people had increased Pakistan's debts four times. He said that Shehbaz Sharif would now become the head of NAB and FIA and money laundering cases against him would be over. The PTI chief said that in any law of the world, the accused had never become a judge.
Meanwhile, Imran tweeted to condole with the family on Aamir Liaquat’s death and wrote “saddened to learn of the passing of our MNA Aamir Liaquat. My condolences and prayers go to his family.”