ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Sunday said there was noneed to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the country’seconomy was on the rise with different sectors witnessing healthy growth.Speaking in a Dunya News talk show programme ‘Mahaz’ hosted by WajahatSaeed Khan, the prime minister said sometimes, the government had to takeeconomic decisions as the policies always required correction.
Replying to a question about increase in the US dollar rates, he said whenthe economy had been expanding, certain challenges cropped up whichrequired policy correction.
He said the government had increased the petroleum prices but the same werestill lower when compared with other parts of the world.
To another question, the prime minister said war was no solution to theAfghan issue and reiterated that no country other than Pakistan was moreinterested in durable peace in Afghanistan.
The prime minister also shared the global concerns about the role ofnascent Afghan army in bringing about stability in their country when thecoalition forces stationed there had failed.
About Pak-US ties, he said both the countries were allies in the war onterror. “We are sovereign country and know how to defend ourselves,” headded.
Allies worked through mutual trust and coordination without hurling tweetsagainst each other. Pakistan was fighting the war against terror with itsown resources. The world acknowledged it and if anyone had any doubts, onecould come and judge it, he added.
He said recently Pakistan had handed over about 27 Afghan nationals to theAfghan authorities and maintained that no attacks were taking place fromPakistan, rather terrorists from across the Afghan soil had been targetingPakistan.
The prime minister responding to a query emphatically rejected anyanti-judiciary tirade on part of the government. He said the judicialverdicts or judiciary could not be ridiculed as there were constitutionalprovisions to this effect and if anyone had ridiculed, it was unacceptable.
He said the parliamentary body after getting majority in the upcominggeneral elections would take decision over the nominee for the primeminister’s office.He said that he was elected by the party members in the parliament for theoffice of prime minister after the judicial verdict which had disqualifiedformer prime minister, Nawaz Sharif.
The prime minister said there was no confusion over his stance about partypresident Nawaz Sharif. During the last five months after assuming hisoffice, he did not get any dictation or instruction from Nawaz Sharif.
To a question, he said the history and public would judge the decision ofthe court about disqualification of Nawaz Sharif. In democratic system, thedecisions were taken by the electorate at the polling stations, he added.
The prime minister maintained that convictions were made on the basis ofevidences and expressed his hope that the courts would function in fairmanner.
Defending the contract for import of LNG, he said that he took the completeresponsibility over it. It was the long term contract with the lowest ratesthroughout the world.About national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, he said there wasno other option except to privatize it as the nation no longer could affordRs 450 liability. This year, its losses amounted to Rs 42 billion. – APP