Marriyum Aurangzeb grills Imran Khan over his performance

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Tuesday had Imran Khan cared about Pakistan’s self-reliance, he would not have rejected with arrogance Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s positive proposal for Charter of Democracy. She was giving her reaction to Imran’s criticism on the government’s economic policies.

In a statement on Monday, the minister said: “Listening to Imran Sahib's lies reminds us of the role of 'Mr Fraudiya'. The coalition government led by Shehbaz Sharif is committed to Pakistan's economic sovereignty and self-reliance.”

She accused Imran of being a beggar who sold for a few crores of rupees the watches gifted to Pakistan. “Mr Imran, you made an IMF agreement on the strictest terms while the coalition government led by Shehbaz Sharif has foiled your conspiracy to make Pakistan a Sri Lanka,” she noted.

The minister reminded Imran of his statement about committing suicide instead of going to the IMF. If Imran Sahib had not used power and four years to pocket notes, these would not have been the conditions of the economy today.

“Imran Sahib, you keep lying, but Shehbaz Sharif, his brother and allies will continue to fight for economic self-reliance, development and solving the problems of people. Imran Sahib's quality of speech is neither that of a political leader nor of a well-known man and he should better now participate in comedy dramas.” Addressing Imran Khan, she said: “You were in the government for four years, what did you do? Why are you crying now? Why are you screaming?”

Separately, she charged that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi could not hide their corruption by linking their rivals to treason and making false narratives of thieves. “The people's sea at the PMLN by-election rallies is a proof that Imran Sahib has become a dark chapter in history. People rejected Imran Khan while declaring war on inflation, unemployment, economic destruction, temptation, hatred and hunger,” she said, adding that the success of the PMLN on July 17 would strengthen this fact.