Elected govt not to allow anyone create political, economic crises: PM

  • Says PTI’s chief didn’t even spare institutions which had rendering unmatched sacrifices
  • Says DG ISI had sought permission to appear before media to present their views

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that it was the responsibility of the elected coalition government to ensure stability in the country and would not allow anyone to create political and economic crises.

Referring to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s long march, the prime minister reiterated that any wrong attempt to enter the Red Zone would be thwarted under the relevant laws

During his interaction with UTubers, the prime minister said that PTI’s leader Imran Niazi had the sole personal agenda, and he was hell-bent to push the country into turmoil and economic destruction for the achievement of his vested interests.

“Expect everything from the person. Unfortunately, Imran Niazi’s thinking revolves around his personal vested interests. Even he did not spare his close friends who were sidelined,” he added.

The prime minister observed that PTI’s leader even did not spare the institution that had been rendering unmatched sacrifices for the protection of the motherland and was out to malign it to the pleasure of enemies of Pakistan including India. India was now portraying him (IK) as their hero, he added.

The prime minister said that unfortunately, once again a long march and sit-in was announced by the PTI’s leadership when he would be visiting China and recollected that during President Xi’s visit in 2013 similar sit-in was staged, dirty clothes were hanged on the premises of buildings in the Red Zone and roads were littered with garbage.

The then-Chinese Ambassador met the PTI chief and requested him to vacate the place for a few days during the visit but he refused. For seven months, the visit was postponed which had also shaken the trust of the country’s friends, he added.

The prime minister said that the close party leaders of PTI were claiming that the long march could be turned bloody. The PTI’s government had left the country’s economy in tatters and the current government was striving to build it from the straw, he added.

The prime minister said that during their rule, not a single penny of corruption could be proved whereas in the PTI’s tenure, through sugar and wheat scams, people made from the windfall.

The low-priced gas during the Covid period was not imported. What kind of relief the PTI’s chief had provided to the masses? The prime minister questioned and said that there could be no two opinions that Imran Niazi had the ‘narcissist agenda’. In the past, he had inflicted irreparable loss to the country which was not relevant to him considering his personal agenda.

The prime minister said that the coalition government was grappling with the issues of unemployment and price hike worsened by the rising global oil prices.

The prime minister to a question, replied that a person had brought a message from the PTI’s chief suggesting consensus over the appointment of new army chief which was rejected by him as it was the prerogative of the Prime Minister to make such appointment under the Constitution.

Whether they had approached him when the PTI’s government made amendment over the army chief, he said, adding that he told the messenger that he was ready for a dialogue to avoid crises, and to discuss the charters of economy and democracy.

But the appointment of a new army chief was a constitutional matter, and he told the messenger pointblank that he would not hold consensus with Imran, he said, adding that as prime minister he would take decision in the best interests of the country.

The prime minister said that Imran Niazi had committed the country’s biggest dacoity by selling the precious gifts given to him by the foreign rulers as prime minister of Pakistan. Under Toshakhana rules, he had to deposit these valuable gifts as prime minister and could purchase from there under set procedure, he said, adding that he had never heard of any former prime ministers selling out such precious gifts in the markets and taking away all the money with themselves.

He said Imran Niazi had committed a 190 million pounds robbery which was equivalent to notorious 1960 train robbery. To a query, he replied that the DG ISI had requested him for permission to appear before media and to present their views in a very careful, short and crisp manner. He said that it was good that they had expressed their determination to remain ‘apolitical’ which should be appreciated. The prime minister said the PTI’s trolls also launched smear campaign over Lasbella incident. He said the armed forces had secured Waziristan and Swat from terrorists after rendering immense sacrifices.

To a query, the prime minister said that holding of dialogue with India hinged upon its intentions to seriously discuss the key issue of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir where the Indian forces had been committing gross human rights violations and trampling the rights of Kashmiris.

About his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the prime minister said that he had held a very constructive and positive meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman who had reiterated assurance for making investment in Pakistan. The crown prince had expressed his readiness to support Pakistan, he said, adding that Saudi Arabia had always been a reliable partner and friend and always supported Pakistan in hard times without attaching any strings to its consistent support.

He said the Saudi crown prince would soon visit Pakistan and would be accorded warm welcome by the Pakistani nation. The prime minister further informed that the crown prince, upon his request, had waived off punishment awarded to those people making ruckus in the holy places. He said that he would be undertaking a visit to China who was a trustworthy friend and this trust was unfading as the Chinese and Pakistani leadership had always supported each other. During 2015, these time-tested ties surged to new heights when then prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under which 30 billion dollars investment was made and power generation plants were set up, producing hundreds of megawatts power at a time when the country was facing 20 hours load shedding.

 

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