Govt has failed to address economic issues: PML-N

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday said the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has failed to address economic issues resulting in record increase in inflation during the last six months.

“Increase in inflation during the last six months is more than that of last 10 years due to failed economic policies of the PTI government,” former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said while addressing a press conference along with other party leaders including Marriyum Aurengzeb and Dr Tassaddaq Malik.

Abbasi said the government leaders including the prime minister and his cabinet members lacked responsibility while issuing statements. Calling government leaders a group of liars, he said,“ Either the prime minister, finance minister, information should keep silence or they should stop giving false statements.”

The PML-N leader said that the statements of the prime minister and his cabinet members do not match with one another and they were also not aware of their job. “So much so Imran Khan also forgets that he is the prime minister of the country,” he said adding the country’s economy is facing loss of Rs1,400 billion due to its policies.

He regretted that the government is preparing to announce the second mini budget of its brief tenure saying that government should refrain from more taxation rather it should widen the tax net.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the government spokesman on economy Farrukh Saleem had also presented dismal economic situation saying that foreign exchange reserves are at the lowest level.

He said that the government spokesman himself acknowledged that the government has failed in solving its financial problems.

Abbasi said that Farrukh Saleem made some comments showing concern regarding the government’s capacity to solve economic issues and it is also the reason it is taking additional loans.

“Should we trust the government’s spokesman or the other ministers,” he said adding Farrukh Saleem had even stated that he had never seen country’s economy in such a bad shape in 32 years.

Abbasi said the government has increased the rate of dollar but the exports have fallen.

Responding to a question about allegations against him with regard to PIA, he said he remained in the organisation for two and a half years and the record speaks itself of his performance.

He pointed out that he raised a private airline which is paying tax saying that he has not been relating with Air Blue for the last five years.

Responding to a question about award of contract of Mohmand Dam to cabinet member Abdul Razaq Dawood, the former prime minister said he knew Dawood for the last 20 years and he was a dignified person. “Our government started Mohmand Dam project and company of Abdul Razaq Dawood emerged as the lowest bidder,” he said.

However, he said it was up to the minister himself whether to remain in politics or to come out of the bidding process. Meanwhile, The PPP leader Nafeesa Shah said the PTI government has no agenda than revenge and fake accountability.