ISLAMABAD: Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Monday said anti-government parties should take a look at their past tenure and formulate a policy to get the country out of the crisis before resorting to criticism.
Speaking to the press, he said: “The opposition has no organizational or economic policy.”
Fawad criticized the opposition and said the opposition was holding anti-government protests “just for the sake of it”.
Fawad highlighted the civil-military relations and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa hold frequent meetings, so there was a regular meeting today as well.
“All matters have been resolved,” he said.
Fawad also referred to the opposition’s criticism of rising inflation in the country and said that only wheat prices have been increased in Sindh, but other essential items are being sold at reasonable prices.
“The Sindh government has released wheat in the open market today,” the minister said. He said that the whole world is struggling with inflation and Pakistan is also no exception to it.
“We don’t live on another planet. If oil prices go up around the world, we’ll see prices go up too.”
Criticizing the opposition, he said, “There are no supporters of democracy in the opposition as they always want to make political deals.”
The Information Minister asked the opposition to come up with an alternative solution to check rising inflation in the country.
Fawad slammed Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, saying, “Only by bashing the premier these parties will not go anywhere.”
“Fazal has no political position now. “He urges the madrasa children to participate only in their political rallies, therefore, they should start the business of hiring them.”
Fawad also invited the opposition to come forward and hold talks with the government regarding electoral reforms and other matters.
The minister said that in order to give relief to the people, the government has decided to give subsidy on the prices of ghee, wheat and electricity.
“However, the entire country cannot be run on a subsidy basis,” the information minister said, adding that the government would have to repay the $12 billion debt.
“Pakistan would have been in a much better position if the people crying for inflation had not taken such a huge loan,” he said. Together we have to fight inflation and the private sector should increase the salaries of the employees.
‘Government took away people’s right to live’: Shahbaz
Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif said that the PTI-led government has taken away people’s right to life, as they have ended it over rising inflation.
Addressing the floor of the National Assembly, the opposition leader said: “Every child in the country is witnessing the worst government in the last 74 years.”
He further criticized the economic policies of the PTI-led government and said that there is no comparison between the PTI’s governance and the Riyasat-e-Madina.
“[As against present-day Pakistan] In the Riyasat-e-Medina under PTI, no one ever slept hungry, exemplary justice was done and everyone was given their due.
Criticizing the government’s economic policies, he said, “We are surprised when the government compares itself with the princely state of Medina.”
Targeting the government over inflation, he said that the electricity rate has been increased by Rs 1.5 per unit, while the prices of petroleum products have also increased.
Shahbaz said the price of ghee has been hiked by Rs 49 and cooking oil by Rs 110, as he said “what could be crueler than depriving the poor of food”.
The Leader of the Opposition asked the government how a person earning Rs 20,000 per month could afford an electricity bill of Rs 10,000, as he claimed such a situation had not arisen since the establishment of Pakistan.
“He took every measure to meet the conditions of the IMF (International Monetary Fund). […] But despite this, I have heard reports that the IMF is still not satisfied and is trying to impose further conditions.
The Leader of the Opposition asked whether this “destruction” would be stopped or not, as he said the current government wanted to leave the country on the “path of destruction”.
Shahbaz reminded Prime Minister Imran Khan that he had said before coming to power that if the rupee depreciates against the dollar, the prime minister is a thief.
“If the price of medicines has gone up by 100%, what should we say to this government? […] What should we say to this government if the US dollar has risen by 40% against the rupee? He asked.
“Imported inflation is leading to starvation and suicide” […] The country’s crops may be affected due to bad weather, but Pakistan has an abundance of wheat and other commodities.
The opposition leader said there were reports of the government importing lakhs of tonnes of sugar, while people had to queue up to buy the commodity.
He said, ‘This government has deprived the people of wheat as well.