By Eman Alam
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that Pakistan is undergoing a national turnaround and progressing rapidly.
He emphasised that the country has faced many setbacks in the past, but there is no room for failure in its current trajectory.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad on Thursday, Ahsan Iqbal stated, “We do not need any certificate from PTI today. The stock market and international financial institutions are testifying to Pakistan’s economic improvement.”
He highlighted major economic indicators, noting that inflation has dropped from 38% to 4%, and the policy interest rate has fallen from 23% to 11%.
Criticising PTI, he said, “The Pakistani nation is no longer fooled. People have stopped believing in PTI’s claims.”
He also accused PTI of aligning with anti-state narratives, claiming that, “India is making statements against Pakistan’s military, and on the other hand, PTI is echoing the same tone. PTI is acting like India’s proxy.”
He alleged that PTI is even calling for protests during Field Marshal Asim Munir’s foreign visits.
Ahsan Iqbal stressed that this is a critical moment for Pakistan and urged all stakeholders to act responsibly, warning that there is no room for political chaos during the country’s economic recovery.
Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif strongly criticised the increase in the salaries of National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the senior PML-N leader said that the increase in the salaries of custodians of both the houses is “financial vulgarity”.
The veteran politician urged the lawmakers to consider the plight of a common man, stating, “Our dignity and honour depend entirely on the well-being of ordinary citizen.”
The criticism comes days after the government issued a notification—just ahead of the federal budget—announcing a staggering 500pc increase in the monthly salaries of the National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman.
Their salaries have been raised from Rs205,000 to Rs1.3 million, with the hike set to take effect from January 1, 2025.
It merits mention here that President Asif Ali Zardari had also signed an ordinance allowing up to 140pc increase in the salaries of federal ministers last month. As a result, their pay was increased from Rs218,000 to Rs519,000, also effective from January 2025.
Earlier this year, the government approved 300pc increase in the monthly salaries of MNAs and Senators, raising their pay from Rs180,000 to Rs519,000.
Parliamentary sources revealed that lawmakers initially demanded a further increase, seeking Rs1 million per month, but Speaker Ayaz Sadiq rejected the proposal and finalised the salary at Rs519,000.
Earlier, The government on Friday increased the salaries of National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman.
According to details, the monthly salaries of NA speaker and Senate chairman have been increased by 500pc, bringing their new pay to Rs1.3 million.
