Economy back on growth path as predicted two years back: Asad

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar on Saturday claimed that Pakistan's economy is back on the path of growth as he had predicted two years ago in April 2019.In a brief message on Twitter Saturday morning, the federal minister responded to criticism against the government on the "sudden, accelerated" growth in the economy. He shared a video clip with the post, saying that he had predicted that it would take the economy two years to return on the growth path and the current growth rate has proven that prediction.

“Those who are asking how economic growth could have suddenly accelerated should watch my video clip where I had said that it will take two years,” the minister wrote while sharing the clip from April 3, 2019.

The federal minister said it was the clear policy of the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to put the economy on a sustainable growth path, instead of taking a decision that might have immediate acceptance but would not be good for the economy in the long run.

However, PML-N leader Muhammad Zubair disagreed with his brother and quickly responded on Twitter, saying that the "economy is in ruins."

"But even if we agree, what does it say of your kaptaan who had no clue. Just 15 days after this event, the kaptaan removed you. Surely he doesn’t understand. That’s why we insist he must go," Zubair said in a reference to PM Khan's move to remove Umar from the post of finance minister shortly after the video clip in question was recorded.