Opposition intensifies criticism of govt over inflation, media curbs

ISLAMABAD: The opposition has launched a coordinated offensive against the federal government, accusing it of systemic failure across economic, social, and constitutional fronts. At a press conference in Islamabad, National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai warned intelligence agencies to cease political interference, while PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram issued a scathing indictment of the government's "incompetence" in managing inflation and protecting democratic freedoms.

The opposition highlighted that double-digit inflation has spiraled beyond official forecasts, rendering basic commodities like wheat, vegetables, and electricity unaffordable. PTI has demanded an immediate reduction in the petroleum levy, rejecting the government's attempt to blame global conditions for the domestic crisis.

Furthermore, the party cited a recent Reporters Without Borders report to illustrate a "critical low point" in Pakistan’s media freedom, characterized by the harassment of journalists and state-sanctioned censorship.

In a separate warning, Mahmood Khan Achakzai asserted that the country is being pushed toward internal conflict by "establishment engineering" aimed at creating a political landscape without Imran Khan. He claimed military influence over civil administration is ruining state institutions and vowed that the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) would resist such moves at every level.

The assault also extended to provincial governance, with PTI dismissing the Sindh government's healthcare claims as a "collapse of leadership," noting that 75% of top-tier health management positions remain vacant. As PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja reaffirmed that the nation's economic future is tied to the release of Imran Khan, the opposition made it clear that their struggle for constitutional rights and the release of political prisoners will only intensify.