Daily Times

Leader of Opposition in National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif Saturday came down hard on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government over what he called its poor performance during the first 20 days of rule.

Flanked by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal and former information minister Maryam Aurangzeb, Shehbaz told a press conference at the PML-N’s Model Town Secretariat that Imran Khan-led government had increased gas and electricity tariffs manifold. “The tariff on gas has been increased by 46 per cent … it is the highest-ever increase in gas prices in the history of Pakistan. The per unit price of electricity has also been increased by Rs 5,” he said, adding the PML-N will raise voice for rights of the poor and the downtrodden.

Shehbaz reiterated his demand to constitute a parliamentary commission to probe alleged rigging in July 25 general elections. “Imran Khan made a promise with me that he will constitute a parliamentary commission to probe rigging in general elections the day he became leader of the house in National Assembly, but still no notification has been issued,” he said, adding the PML-N will not let the National Assembly proceed if PM doesn’t fulfil his promise. “A protest campaign inside as well as outside the parliament will be launched as this government came into being through a rigged election,” he asserted.

Talking about the prime minister’s initiative of fund raising for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, Shehbaz said it is good if expatriates contribute to the fund “but Imran Khan should also speak about Rs 122 billion that Nawaz Sharif spent during his tenure to acquire land for the dam.”

He was of the view that power projects worth billions of rupees were set up by Nawaz Sharif in a record time while saving Rs 160 billion of the taxpayers’ money. “Load shedding has returned since Imran Khan took reins of the government. Your 20-day performance has exposed you badly. You have been repeatedly talking about naya Pakistan. Is this the naya Pakistan you were talking about,” he said.

Published in Daily Times, September 9^th 2018.