ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Ishaq Dar said that his government would try its best to revive economy, which has been critically damaged during Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government’s tenure of quarter to four years. Talking to media, after taking oath as Finance Minister, he said regaining deserving value to country’s currency, bringing down inflation and reducing interest rate were among priorities.

Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi administered oath to Senator Ishaq Dar as Minister. Dar said, Pakistan was facing severe economic crisis currently due to quarter to four years’ mismanagement by PTI government, which had pushed economy to critical place, which even enemies could not have done. Minister lamented that PTI government had not only damaged economy but had wasted five precious years of country and pushed country behind 30 years.

However, Dar was optimistic that country would be put back on growth path as Pakistan Muslim League-N had history of correcting economy during crisis in past. “As a nation we had challenges, we have faced them with success in past,” he said while citing examples of economic restriction following nuclear tests of 1998 and declared macroeconomic instability of 2013. He said, becoming 18th economy, country could have enjoyed becoming part of G-20 world premium club, however everything was ruined. To a question, he said that former finance minister Miftah Ismail was part of PML-N economy team who had played good role in saving country from default.

He said, since damages of around four years were very huge so could not be corrected in just six months. He clarified that case against him for not filing income returns for twenty years (1981-2001) was fake as he has been regularly filing same for more than last forty years. He lamented that culprits were roaming freely whereas right persons were facing difficulties.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 29 2022

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