LAHORE: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi believes that the only way to address the plethora of crises faced by the country was through “immediate, transparent, fair and free elections”.
Addressing a press conference flanked by PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal and Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb, Abbasi said the government had failed as the people have become miserable and the country was plunging deeper into crisis.
“All institutions including Parliament, bureaucracy, judiciary and the armed forces exist within Pakistan and the current deplorable state of affairs should worry everyone. A transparent election at the earliest was the only solution because rigged elections and hybrid regimes create government’s that land the country into an economic and sociopolitical disaster like the Imran government,” said Abbasi.
The PML-N leader claimed that the government was least bothered about the misery of the people and they did not even allow a debate on inflation in the Parliament. The government shamelessly tried to fool the nation with the promise of a relief package that would give Rs 923 per month relief for 20 million families out of the 220 million people of the country, he said.
“The PTI government also increased the prices of basic items over the past three days including petrol, sugar, flour, cooking oil, vegetables and lentils which amounts to Rs 3,000 per month, that makes the Rs923 pointless,” said the former premier. He added that no allocation has been made for the relief package in the budget and the government is yet to explain how the funding for the package would come.
“One thing is extremely clear that over 60 per cent of the population of Pakistan could not afford a respectable living anymore where they can feed their families without assistance,” said Abbasi as he continued his onslaught against the government.
On the other hand, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal alleged that the government was “blatantly lying” by laying the blame on an increase in international oil prices for the hike in petroleum products.
“In 2018, the average price in international market was $65 per barrel while in 2021 was $ 67 which was around 5 per cent increase while the PTI government had jacked up the fuel prices in Pakistan from Rs 87.70/litre to Rs145.82/ litres which was a 66 per cent increase,” said Iqbal.
Ahsan said it was time for Imran Khan to go as he has failed in every sector from economy, governance, foreign affairs and security.