PMl-N President also questions his ouster, asking that if there is anyone who could bring those who ousted him to justice
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 16th, 2024) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif came down hard upon Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), holding it responsible for soaring inflation in the country.
“I deeply feel the suffering of the people, but I still wonder why I was removed from power,” said Nawaz Sharif while addressing a press conference at Jati Umra. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was also present there.
Nawaz Sharif questioned whether there was anyone who would hold those responsible for his ouster accountable.
Nawaz Sharif, who remained silent for quite some time, addressed the press conference which was telecast live on tv channels.
“Inflation crisis started during the PTI’s tenure,” he said.
Nawaz Sharif said that he equally felt pain for the hardships and sufferings of the people of Pakistan.
The PML-N president also reflected on the situation in 2017, saying that under his leadership, the country had not faced such economic challenges. He noted that when he took office in 2013, his government worked diligently on improving the economy, making Pakistan one of the world's emerging economies.
According to Sharif, during his tenure, the Dollar was valued at Rs95, and although circumstances required the exchange rate to be adjusted to Rs104 to support exports and other factors, the economy remained stable.
He further claimed that had he remained in power, the dollar would still be pegged at Rs104.
Sharif also pointed out that the bank interest rate was around 5% during his government, but had climbed to 22% under the PTI’s leadership.
Thanking Maryam Nawaz for her efforts in reducing flour prices in Punjab, Nawaz Sharif announced that the provincial government had introduced a relief package, reducing the electricity tariff by Rs14 per unit for those consuming up to 500 units. This relief will be reflected in the bills for August and September.
He added that in order to fund this utility relief, the Punjab government had cut its development budget.
Sharif also addressed his removal from office, which he said was based on a technicality involving his failure to draw a salary from his son’s company, a reason he deemed "laughable." He questioned whether this was a just cause for disqualifying a sitting prime minister.
Denying that the PML-N was responsible for the current economic woes, Nawaz Sharif said that the world had recognized Pakistan's economic growth during his tenure, adding that it was the PTI government that re-engaged the IMF after his government had freed the country from its control.
He highlighted that during his time in office, his administration had resolved the power crisis within three years. In 2017, he said, the average electricity bill for a household was Rs1,600, whereas it has now skyrocketed to Rs18,000.