Daily Times

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Thursday a spree of arrests and registration of cases would not prove beneficial for the government.

In a series of tweets, the former interior minister said the government needed to fix the economy if it intended to spend some more days in the power. Those who were made rulers through horse-trading had put the country at risk, he said.

He said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had allowed increasing dollar rate to Rs250 against the Pakistani currency, adding that letters of credit (LCs) were not reopened for importers. He said “all such dramas” were being made to keep the incompetent government in power. Not holding provincial elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 90 days would be alarming, he said, adding that no one would be able to stand against the public wrath if elections were not held immediately. Sheikh Rashid Ahmed suggested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to stage train march from Karachi. Speaking to the media, Mr Ahmed lamented the rupee’s “consistent depreciation against the US dollar.” Mr Ahmed schooled Finance Minister Ishaq Dar over the depreciation of the rupee, saying the latter vowed to bring the greenback below Rs200.

Underscoring the need to end the menace of money laundering, Mr Ahmed stressed the need to get rid of the money launderers.