ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif  admitted that “Tough decisions taken by his government are leading to Inflation and hard conditions for common man but is hopeful that there is Light at end of tunnel. He assured masses of good times ahead in his address during special Senate session being held here to celebrate the golden jubilee of upper house of Parliament. He told Senate that when Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government took over economy was facing very difficult challenges. Last government, he said, had signed an agreement with International Monetary Fund (IMF) but did not adhere to its conditions.

Pakistan is anxiously waiting for confirmation from Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar, as well as from World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank for fulfilling external financing needs of $ 6 billion by end of June 2023. We took over through constitutional instrument and this coalition government faced very difficult challenge and we had two choices, PM Shehbaz said, adding that first option was that current government could follow path taken by Imran Khan-led PTI government. Other path was to show highest level of responsibility, highest level of maturity and highest level of statesmanship, he said. Current government, he added, through consultative process adopted path which would protect Pakistan. Shehbaz Sharif launched scathing criticism of his predecessor, saying he will allow Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s attempts to “Ruin country”.

“Leader is poised to ruin country which cannot be allowed. We will not allow it,” he told members of Senate during special session of Upper House of Parliament. Sharif claimed that, to avoid any unrest, government had shown restraint in attempts to arrest PTI Chairman. However, he added that it is not possible to compromise well-being of country and its citizens. “It is not possible to put interest of state and its 220 million people at stake,” he warned.

He said to satisfy his ego, Imran Khan had refused to sit with his opposition even during challenging circumstances of Covid-19 and confrontation with India and even ridiculed his idea of ‘Charter of Economy’. He accused PTI Chief of acting in total defiance of national institutions, including judiciary and promoting politics of agitation. He said during time of PTI government, opposition leaders were implicated in false cases, but they neither uttered word against institutions nor violated laws. He claimed that Imran Khan had launched defamatory campaign against incumbent government and labeled it as an “Imported government” but later backed out of his claims of any US role in removal of his government.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 17 2023

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