Maryam tells Imran: Begin ‘Jail bharo tehreek’ from Zaman Park

MULTAN: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) Senior Vice President and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz said on Monday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan should launch his ‘Jail bharo tehreek’ from Zaman Park [his residence in Lahore].

Talking to the media here, she said the government was waiting for ‘Jail bharo tehreek’, but Imran Khan should first of all remove the women shield he had been using to keep him safe.Former premier Imran Khan had announced the movement last week after apparently running out of options to press the PMLN-led government to hold elections in Punjab and KP and stop it from “political victimisation”.

The PMLN leader said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had left the national economy on a strong footing in 2018, but it nosedived during the Imran Khan-led PTI government. In a matter of a few years, the previous PMLN government’s achievements were squandered, opening floodgates of inflation and leaving the commoners at the receiving end, she alleged. Maryam said the coalition government in centre wanted to give maximum relief to people but it could not do so due to the agreement the Imran Khan government had signed with the IMF [International Monetary Fund].

She said the PTI government had inherited a Pakistan with a high economic growth rate of 5.8 per cent, but it drastically cut down the development trajectory. She said PM Shehbaz Sharif was working round the clock to steer the economy out of trouble and control price hike, which had resulted due to the wrong policies of the PTI government.

“It would take time to rectify the ills the country had to suffer during the four years of the PTI’s ‘misrule’,” she added. Maryam recalled that Nawaz Sharif had finalised a programme with the IMF in 2016, but its burden was not shifted to people and as a result, the country was economically strong when the general elections were held in 2018. On the other hand, the IMF programme signed by the Imran-led government worsened the economic conditions and triggered the worst-ever inflation, she added.

Maryam said the last PMLN government had kept the prices of essential commodities stable such as wheat flour was available at Rs 35/kg, sugar Rs55/kg and edible oil Rs140 per litre. She said the agreement signed by the PTI regime with the IMF not only caused inflation and an economic downturn but its violation further worsened the situation as well, leaving no choice for the incumbent government except to accept the tough conditions, being imposed by the international lender.

Maryam Nawaz expressed her determination for the creation of South Punjab province and said the PMLN would honour its commitment according to the will of people of the region. She said the PMLN was fully ready to contest the general election.