Chairman Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday, commenting on the federal budget, said that the country’s economy was still in dire straits, hoping that the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s programme would soon be restored. Speaking at a meeting of party office-bearers of Union Council Mandani and Harichand at Sherpao village, he maintained that the restoration of IMF programme was vital for the country as it was grappling with rising debt and other economic challenges. The QWP leader lauded the government for announcing the increase in the salary of its employees in the face of skyrocketing inflation, adding that this would give them some relief to cope with the backbreaking inflation. Aftab Sherpao said that the government had allocated insufficient funds for the merged districts in the budget. He asked the federal government to give the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa its due shares and release the arrears of the net hydel profit and the oil and gas royalty. He demanded that the federal government should announce the new National Finance Commission award as soon as possible and increase the shares of the smaller provinces. Aftab Sherpao said the May 9 mayhem had shaken the security foundation of the country, calling for strict punishment for the perpetrators of violence in accordance with the law. He demanded that the masterminds and the facilitators of the May 9 vandalism and arson attacks on the state buildings and military installations should be put in the dock. “The May 9 attacks were not an isolated occurrence rather, the causes of the recent happenings could be traced back to the events that happened in 2014 wherein Imran Khan instigated his supporters to torch the electricity bills and send money from abroad through hundi and hawala business instead of using the banking channels,” the QWP leader recalled, adding that the PTI leader had provoked his followers to attack the Parliament House and the Pakistan Television Headquarters in Islamabad. “Had strict action been taken against the PTI people back then, they would not have dared to stage the civilian coup this time,” he noted with concern. He said the PTI trained its workers at the Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in the use of the petrol bombs and other sabotage activities to attack the government and army installations. “The May 9 vandalism was the continuation of the 2014 attacks on the state buildings,” he believed. Aftab Sherpao said that the country was passing through a critical phase of its history as political instability and anarchy had ruined the economy. He said that political stability was a prerequisite for economic stability. He said PTI leader Imran Khan had now launched a sinister campaign against the country by asking the world to provide aid to Pakistan with strings attached. The QWP leader expressed concern over the worsening law and order and rising attacks on the police force in KP, asking the provincial government to take steps to beef up security and bring the situation under control. He asked the government to activate the price control mechanism in order to control inflation and bring down the rates of the daily use items. He said that the government could provide relief to the people by taking action against the hoarders and profiteers.