PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Monday lambasted the PTI-led government over its “unparalleled propaganda against the PML-N” as well as a failure to prove corruption against the former ruling party. Shehbaz’s allegations hold some grounds as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has remained unable to effectively pursue any case against the former rulers. Though the incumbent government maintains that the NAB is working independently yet there are some questions about its independence and ability after a recent judgment by the apex court.
▪️Due to incompetence, Loadshedding is happening despite abundant electricity in the county.
▪️Government did nothing for farmers betterment.
▪️Wheat and sugar have become extremely expensive in existing era.
▪️Elite are sitting inside the government.#ShehbazSharif pic.twitter.com/pOUFXQ3yYa
— Pres Shehbaz (Updates) (@ShehbazUpdates) August 24, 2020
Shehbaz was accompanied by senior party leaders, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former finance minister Miftah Ismail, and former foreign minister Khawaja Asif. PML-N leaders slammed the government for using the NAB to target political opponents.
Referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration, he said it was a government that is the “worst in the history, incompetent, and one that neither knows governance nor is concerned about the problems the public faces”.
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“In two years, the [rising] inflation has brought people to the brink of disaster. First, sugar was exported and the gains from depreciation in the rupee were availed. Farmers were punished and the exporters made billions.
‘Propaganda against the PML-N’
The opposition leaders also slammed the government for being unable to control wheat prices. “For the first time in history, there was a shortage of wheat even before the harvest season ended. A member of the government asked on the floor of the House where the wheat had gone!”
ابھی کل شام شہباز شریف گروپ نے پریس کانفرنس میں عوام کو گمراہ کرنے کی کوشش کی اور پاکستان کی معاشی صورتحال کو انتہائی خراب قرار دیا
جناب اٹھیں بلومبرگ نے پاکستانی معیشت کے حوالے سے ایک رپورٹ شائع کی ہے یہ پڑھ لیں انشاءاللہ افاقہ ہوگا https://t.co/TGNa64TSl3— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) August 25, 2020
Shehbaz said oil prices were jacked up in one shocking move. “Electricity prices skyrocketed but the circular debt is still out of control,” he added. “The [government’s] worst incompetence and incompetence has led to load-shedding of electricity as well. Projects using oil should have been shut down but there was a conflict of interest,” he stated.
He noted how exports did not rise despite the rupee depreciating 40%. “For the second time in the country’s history, GDP growth was negative,” he mentioned, saying the first one was in 1952. “There is nothing but misery and hardship under the Tabdeeli Sarkaar!”
‘No corruption was ever found’
The PML-N president said “unparalleled propaganda was spread against” his party. “There was historic development work in Pakistan under Nawaz Sharif,” he noted.
“In Pakistan’s 72-year history, there is no parallel to these projects. Those traveling on the Sukkur-Islamabad motorway said it was a better journey than on an airplane.
“During the Nawaz Sharif era, four LNG projects worth 5,000 megawatts (MW) were implemented and per-unit cost does not exceed Rs12-13. In Nawaz Sharif’s third term, no corruption took place in any of the projects.
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“To date, not a single penny’s worth of corruption has been proven,” he said, adding that PM Imran and his followers “turned upside down but no corruption was ever found”.
The PML-N leader said his party was not against impartial accountability. The entire country, he added, watched the spectacle of pinning the Opposition against the wall. “Despite being cornered, we extended our hand for cooperation but they rejected it,” he explained.