ISLAMABAD – Finance Minister Ishaq Dar holds a crucial presser on Friday and ‘shows the mirror’ to PTI chief Imran Khan and his party amid alarming speculations about country’s economic situation.
Dialing his tirade toward the former ruling party, the country’s finance chief holds PTI’s bad governance responsible for the current economic meltdown. Dar revealed PDM got advise for not tabling the no-confidence vote against Imran Khan’s government, but said they were forced to do so as Imran Khan would have ‘taken Pakistan down with him’.
Mentioning alleged audio leaks of PTI members, he called out Khan’s aide for hampering negotiations with IMF. Dar said the ruling alliance made a principled decision to save the state over politics around the time of last year’s vote of no confidence. He maintained that the state’s interest was paramount important over political interests, calling it the right decision.
The PML-N stalwart slammed former Prime Minister Imran Khan for sharing two cents on economic situation and comparing the government’s performances. Imran continued his rhetoric about default, calling PTI’s chief attitude selfish.
وفاقی وزیر خزانہ اسحاق ڈار اسلام آباد میں پریس کانفرنس کر رہے ہیں https://t.co/uIPNQ176K8
— PMLN (@pmln_org) March 3, 2023
Drawing comparisons with foreign countries, Dar said oppositions across the globe worked together with the government on national issues. He however rebutted rumors about Pakistan going toward default, saying that it’s not going to happen.
The finance minister then went on to discuss key economic indicators during the PTI’s government and where it left them. “If you look at the indicators in 2013 and then 2018-2020 then Pakistan was at different stages,” Dar said, adding that Pakistan was currently passing through the remaining effects of the PTI government’s economic indicators. The finance minister also attributed the financial losses arising from last year’s catastrophic floods as being majorly responsible for the country’s issues, adding that over $30 billion loss was suffered. “Our requirement for the next three to four years is for $16bn or Rs4,000bn.”
Pakistani rupee plunged to a new low against the dollar while interest rate was jacked up by 300 basis points, and calls by Imran Khan led PTI for the resignation of the finance chief.
Before addressing the presser, several correspondents of media approached the PML-N stalwart outside Parliament House. He first avoided responding to curious reporters.
This is a developing story, and will be updated later…
