‘Govt has failed on all fronts’

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has failed on all fronts.

Addressing a press conference here, he said that people from all segments of the society, including farmers, labourers, traders and industrialists, were facing the consequences of the bad economic policies of the incumbent government.

Noted lawyer Hashim Raza announced joining the QWP along with his family and friends. Aftab Sherpao said that the government could not tolerate criticism and was victimising the opposition parties in the name of accountability. He said that accountability should be across-the-board and transparent.

The QWP leader said the government prepared the federal budget in line with the tough conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure the so-called bailout package.

He said the PTI government had surrendered the country's sovereignty to the IMF. "This government is a threat to national security," he remarked.

Commenting on the deployment of the army during the upcoming election for the provincial assembly seats in the tribal districts, the senior politician said the move would make the electoral process controversial like the previous general election.

He condemned the arrest of the opposition leaders and said the government was trying to impose one-party rule as no form of constructive criticism was being tolerated. He said non-issuance of the production orders for the arrested MNAs was violation of the rules and regulations. The opposition parties would observe July 25 as black day, Aftab Sherpao said, adding the last general election was heavily rigged and Imran Khan was a selected prime minister.

He said the Bus Rapid Transit, Billion Tree Tsunami, Elementary Education Foundation, Malam Jabba scam were the worst examples of corruption, but no probe was being ordered to expose the corrupt elements.

The opposition would continue to play their role to steer the country out of the prevailing morass, he added.