ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram has strongly condemned the current regime, accusing it of incompetence and poor governance.
In a statement issued on Sunday, he highlighted the worsening economic conditions of ordinary Pakistanis, stating that the country is now trapped in a severe debt crisis.
Waqas emphasized that while the government claims to have saved the country from bankruptcy, it has actually pushed Pakistan into an even deeper debt trap. He pointed out that a person earning Rs 50,000 in March 2022 now has the purchasing power of just Rs 20,833, with similar declines for higher-income earners.
He also noted that over 18 million people are officially unemployed, with the unemployment rate reaching an unprecedented 22%.
The PTI official criticized the governments under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for presiding over one of the most difficult periods in Pakistan’s history. He warned that rising oil prices would worsen the current account and trade deficits, further depreciate the rupee, and increase interest payments, effectively sinking the country’s budget.
Waqas also dismissed the government’s claims of moving beyond the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, pointing out that both the IMF and World Bank’s May 2025 reports indicate that Pakistan’s economy is shrinking, unemployment is rising, and economic growth is virtually nonexistent. He stressed that Pakistan’s survival depends on continued IMF support, without which the country faces collapse.
He further criticized the government’s failure to bring in meaningful investment, pointing to the SIFC’s disappointing results, including a mere $1 billion investment from Barrick Gold.
Waqas concluded by stating that the country could only overcome its hardships by releasing PTI Patron-in-Chief Imran Khan, holding free and fair elections, strengthening the judiciary, ensuring freedom of speech, and restoring democracy according to the Constitution of Pakistan.
