Daily Times

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi Sunday came down hard on Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, demanding that the financial czar resign immediately.

Addressing media persons at a press conference in Multan, the former foreign minister slammed the budget FY24 and said: “Additional taxes of Rs215 billion have been imposed. The nation is already suffering under the burden of taxes, and the financial bill is being revised.”

“Despite the burden of existing taxes, more had been imposed,” he said, adding that the budget presented to the nation is something else while the budget to be approved will be something else entirely.

Qureshi also slammed the government’s performance and said: “Industries are currently in a state of crisis.”

About 40% of textile industries have closed down and more are being closed; production of large-scale manufacturing is affected, he said.

He further contended that the condition of textile and agriculture industries is “bad” and the country’s economy is shrinking. Accusing the government of building a false narrative, the former foreign minister said: “Rulers cannot hide the facts.” “The agricultural sector is suffering from crisis,” he said, adding that fertilizer was running out and a 5% duty has been imposed on it.

He further remarked that extensive load-shedding was happening across the country.

He said that the responsibility should be assigned to another finance minister.

The PTI stalwart further said that keeping in view the country’s economy and state of affairs, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had no confidence in Dar.

US-India joint statement: During the presser, Qureshi also took issue with what he said was the government’s failure to show responsibility following the joint statement issued by the US and India earlier this week.

The statement emphasised the need for Pakistan to take action against extremist groups based in Pakistan.

The PTI leader expressed shock at the indifference shown by the country’s officials in the matter.

“The foreign minister did not respond to the statement issued by the American President and the Indian Prime Minister,” he said, highlighting that there was no mention of the oppression of Kashmiris in the joint statement.

“There is no comment on the treatment of minorities in India,” Qureshi said, adding that everyone is silent on what is happening to Muslims in India. The Line of Control (LoC) was violated and two civilians were killed yesterday, Qureshi said, while also lamenting on the loss of lives during the Greek shipwreck.