Faisalabad: PML-N leader Abid Sher Ali criticised Finance Minister Miftah Ismail for his “anti-people” policies, urging him to think of masses who he said were “agonised” because of inflated electricity bills and poverty.

“Few days back, government increased electricity bills by 37 percent under fuel price adjustment and as a result of it, people are immensely suffering,” he said at a press conference here alongside party member Talal Chaudhry. Ali recalled that during the tenure of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, country was under deep crises, yet former prime minister had not allowed electricity prices to increase.

“Even then, there was pressure from IMF (International Monetary Fund), but they were dealt with.

“Nawaz Sharif never compromised on issues of masses he never threw electricity bombs on them,” he recalled. But, Ali pointed out, “when I hear Miftah Ismail sahab I feel sad when he says that increasing prices is okay it is not okay when people who earn Rs 20,000 have to pay bills amounting to Rs 30,000, they curse you. “Miftah sahab, leave your office once and go meet people you will understand what they are going through. This not PML-N’s ideology,” PML-N leader stressed.

He admitted that it was important to “clean mess” created by PTI chairman Imran Khan, but contended that this was not that way to do it. “Agreement Imran reached with IMF, you can renegotiate it as well,” he suggested, giving example of former finance minister and Nawaz’s close aide Isaaq Dar. “We never allowed fuel prices to increase during our tenure. We always made slabs.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 26 2022

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