Fazl blames PTI for prevailing economic mess

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Friday said the federal government had inherited a weak economy from the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

“The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) only had $2.5 billion in reserves when the PDM came to power,” he said, adding that the SBP governor was not answerable to the government after the PTI government introduced a piece of legislation in this regard.

Addressing a meeting of party’s local office-bearers here, he said the previous PTI government practically surrendered the SBP to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Maulana said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would visit Dera Ismail Khan on December 26 and would announce a number of uplift projects for the district at a public gathering. He said that the government would also set up an international level airport in Dera Ismail Khan to promote trade. He added that the government had agreed in principle to execute the airport project for which a suitable place was being searched.

The PDM leader said that small dams would also be constructed in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan to prevent these two districts from the floods in future. He said the construction of the dams would help bring barren land under cultivation in the two districts.

Maulana Fazlur Rahman, who is also head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUIF), said that arrangements were being made for the public meeting and visit of the prime minister to Dera Ismail Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Communication Mufti Asad Mahmood said that the JUIF carried out a number of uplift projects in Dera Ismail Khan in the past. He said that the PTI provincial government could not initiate a single mega project in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank. He hoped that the federal government would soon overcome the economic challenges and provide relief to the people.