RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Sunday said the cash-strapped Shehbaz-led government’s downward countdown is expected to begin from July 12 [the start of new wave of inflation including increasing power tariff].
Taking to Twitter, he asked what was the difference between the IMF decisions of former finance minister Miftah Ismail and his successor Ishaq Dar except they are relatives. “Dar’s tone was aggressive initially and then he started bowing before the [International Monetary Fund] to get the loan approved for nine months.”
He said a new wave of inflation would engulf the masses from July 12, leading to downward countdown of the incumbent government, adding the three governments — the sitting government, the caretaker government and the new government — had to fulfill the IMF’s strict conditions in nine months and pay back $11 billion in six months.
The former minister said the time would tell if the deposit assurances given by the friendly countries would reach any practical conclusion, adding there was no room for errors in the IMF agreement as an environment of now or never had been created.
He was of the view that the government had wasted 10 months, signed [staff level] agreement with [the IMF] on the last day [June 30].
“Is it fair that diesel has become expensive by Rs7.50 even on the arrival of Russian oil in the country, the AML leader questioned.
He said the foreign minister of PPP made more than 50 foreign tourism trips but is a silent spectator on the IMF agreement.
Nawaz Sharif’s coming or not depends on his health and not on politics and the decision of the case. Taking jibe at the coalition partners, Rashid said that 13 parties had become politically bankrupt, and the nation had become economically bankrupt.
Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori on Sunday praised the “efforts” of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for averting default.
Speaking to media, Tessori emphasised the need for unity to uphold the nation’s honour. He continued, “This International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme ought to be the final one for the country”.
Tessori was of the view the country would benefit from the Pakistani pilgrims’ Hajj prayers.
Speaking about the Karachi’s political situation, Tessori said, “My portfolio does not give me the permission to respond to the Karachi mayor’s statement. Whenever I need to speak, I will do so directly with former president Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and the Sindh chief minister. –Agencies
