Inflation is the real issue: Sherry

ISLAMABAD: PPP Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Senator Sherry Rehman Tuesday accused the government of ‘incompetence and failures’ be it the Kashmir issue, controlling inflation or getting Pakistan out of the FATF grey list.

“Who is running the country because Prime Minister Imran Khan is certainly not? They need to get off the containers and answer the country as to what they have done,” she said while addressing a press conference here. Former chairman Senate Raza Rabbani, PPP Information Secretary Senator Maula Bukhsh Chandio, Senator Sassi Pulejo, Senator Dr Sikandar Mandhro and Senator Rubina Khalid accompanied her.

Sherry said they were expecting a special session of the Parliament to express solidarity with the Kashmiri brothers and sisters on the Black Day but shockingly the government did not think that it was important to have one. “When it comes to matters of national importance and security, we all are on the same page,” Sherry continued.

She said during the PPP’s tenure, they held a joint session on Kashmir.

“But this namaloom sarkar is least bothered. The parliament is just being used for their own ulterior motives. Our parliament is being insulted and bulldozed by this tabahi sarkar,” she added.

Sherry said when they wanted to pass draconian laws in the disguise of FATF, regular joint sessions were called. “Then why not for Kashmir?” she asked.

“We spent three months working on the FATF laws with our experts for the greater good of our country and people. The PPP knows how to get it done, as we have removed Pakistan from the grey list before, but this government is all about theatrics. It is shocking that they are applauding each other despite being on the grey list,” she said.

Sherry said the ICRG had also recommended that Pakistan be retained on the grey list, given its failure to completely implement the 27-point action plan.

“The government is so busy focusing on jailing the opposition politicians that it is not focusing on other serious issues like taking the parliament into confidence and removing Pakistan from the grey list,” she added.

“It is not the opposition’s job but despite that all of us are standing together to give hope to our country,” she said, adding that instead of addressing serious issues like inflation, high food prices, new polio cases, circular debt, load shedding, gas shortage and increased medicine prices, the taqseem sarkar (dividing regime) was keeping people distracted by their circus.

She said there was an anticipated shortage of wheat this year in the wake of a shortfall in output.

“Wheat and sugar are being hoarded and the prime minister’s cronies are benefitting but the NAB is just reserved for the opposition,” she said.

Sherry said Pakistan was made completely wheat-secure by the last PPP government but when asked about the wheat shortage, the prime minister appeared clueless.

“Why is he not running the country? If the government is importing wheat to meet the shortfall, then why did they export it in the first place? Is any thought and planning going on to run this country?” she asked.

She said the Tiger Force had been unleashed on people without any legal mandate and media voices were being silenced.

She said wheat was selling at Rs70 per kilo, tomatoes at Rs180 per kilo and onion at Rs80 per kilo.

“How can people from low income households afford these basic necessities? Roti and naan are also out of their reach. Is this the Naya Pakistan that they have been promising us?” she asked.