Inflation has made people’s lives difficult: Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD/LONDON: Minister for Planning Development and Reforms Asad Umar has said inflation has made the lives of people difficult. Speaking at a function in the federal capital on Sunday, Asad Umar said there is no doubt that the people of Pakistan are going through a difficult situation.

The minister said the prime minister is more concerned over the prevailing situation more than anyone else. He said mafias and hoarders are involved in price-hike. He said the prime minister has stood up in the fight against mafias and hoarders.

Asad Umar said the whole nation stands with the prime minister in the fight against corruption.

Meanwhile, the PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, said in a statement from London that the PTI government has failed to arrest the rising inflation in the country.

The opposition leader took to Twitter to express his views. “The sharp rise in inflation from 5.8% in August 2018 to 14.6% in January 2020 should scare us,” he wrote.

The PML-N president said the worsening situation uncovered the incompetence of the incumbent government. “Therein lies the story of incompetence & the rise of mafias benefiting from the bonanza that Pakistan has been turned into under Imran Niazi,” he alleged.

Shahbaz said in another statement that growing inflation in the country reflects the failure of the incumbent government’s economic policies, adding that Tsunami of inflation has eaten up the economy.

Slamming the ruling class as incompetent and corrupt, he said that a massive debt of Rs11,000 billion was affecting the public and economy badly.

He said people in rural areas suffered from the inflation more than the urban areas. He said the government was pursuing a destructive policy.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said the government will move court if medical reports of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif are not submitted timely as looters of the national exchequer are enjoying in London in the name of treatment.

Addressing a press conference in Sialkot, Firdous Ashiq Awan said the PML-N supremo’s illness is linked with his removal from power which was used by him as a means of escape. She announced that the government will approach the court if Nawaz Sharif’s medical report is not submitted within deadline given by Punjab government.

The special assistant said that Shahbaz Sharif is involved in conspiracies to mislead people of Pakistan. She informed the media that officers involved in wheat smuggling have been arrested and said that objective of government’s policies is to provide relief to the public.

Dr Firdous said the past rulers were involved in politics for personal gains. However, she said, Prime Minister Imran Khan is different as he wants to make institutions independent. She welcomed investment of overseas Pakistanis and termed them as true soldiers of Imran Khan.