ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister-elect Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif Mondayannounced immediate remedial measures to ensure economic turnaround bystemming against the rising tide of inflation and price hike in the country.
Narrating the specific contours of his government’s economic priorities inthe National Assembly soon after his successful nomination to the office ofthe prime minister, he referred to the poor performance of the PTI’sgovernment during the last four years, and said that with mere words,changes could not take place. During the last three and half years,attempts were made to infuse venom into different strata of society,leaving the economy in shambles.
He said the country’s economic situation was in the dismal situation butnow after a change in the government, the stock market was surging.
Narrating the priorities of his government, he said through untiringstruggle and unity they would strive to achieve the desired results ofeconomic turnaround and affordability of commodities of life to the lowersegments of the society by saving the stranded boat and steering it to thebank.
Shahbaz Sharif in a sarcastic manner to the PTI’s tall claims, saidpractical steps were prerequisite for achieving the ideals.He regretted that if his idea for ‘pact of economy’ was heeded to by theprevious ruler, the economy would not have been in such a sorry state ofaffairs. But the PTI rulers, had rejected it out of their haughtiness andarrogance.
The prime minister-elect further said that the country was facing hugefiscal budget deficit, besides, the current account deficit, adding due tothe poor policies of the previous government, about 6 million people hadbeen rendered as unemployed while million others had been pushed below thepoverty line, while during the last four years, commodity prices hadreached to the unaffordable level.
He said not a brick was laid by the former ruler as they only rejoiced inunveiling the plaques. The debt during the previous government hadballooned to Rs20,000 billion while the foreign reserves had shrunk. Ureawas sold at a high price and the country became an importer of wheat andsugar. The prices of sugar and flour reached to all-time high, he added.
Declaring himself as ‘Khadim-e-Pakistan” he said that through joint effortsand unity they would turn the tides of inflation and poverty throughimmediate measures.
He said during 1974, late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had laid the foundation ofnuclear deterrence and Mian Nawaz Sharif had refused 5-billion-dollar aid,and conducted the nuclear tests, thus making the country’s defenceimpregnable. Through 18th amendment, powers were devolved to the provinces,he added.
Such historic feats were achieved through sheer struggle and solidarityamong the ranks of the nation, he said and assured the nation that throughthe joint efforts by all the allied parties, they would reset the tune ofthe economy left in shatters by the PTI’s government.
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The prime minister-elect further said that for the first time in thehistory of the country, a vote of no-confidence motion was succeeded whichwas a triumph of the virtue and defeat of the vice.
“It was a memorable day for the whole nation, as a selected prime ministerwas shown the door,” he said.
Shahbaz Sharif said that the news of the rupee gaining ground in a singleday against US dollar as it was being traded at Rs182 and the bullish trendin the Pakistan Stock Market were the good omens for the country’s economy,he added.
Linking change in the government, he said that it was a great blessing ofAllah Almighty and the confidence of 220 million people in this House ofparliament.
Expressing gratitude to the Supreme Court, he said that it had declared theabrogation of constitutional as illegal and buried doctrine of necessityforever.
With the unanimous decision of the apex Court, he said the supremacy of theconstitution was upheld.
Shahbaz strongly denounced the PTI’s campaign against the politicaladversaries and said that none in this House was a traitor.
He said that they did not believe in a deadlock but in the process ofdialogue and assured to pacify and alleviate the grievances of the backwardareas.
