Daily Times

Former finance minister Asad Umar responded to the criticism levied against him by the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari during his speech on the floor of the National Assembly.

Asad declared “I never called Bilawal Bhutto Zardari a traitor. He alleged that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) killed the economy.”

He further added “Bilawal said that the government is incapable and a failure so I thought I should raise the curtain and unveil the truth behind the allegations”

Responding to Bilawal’s criticism of the cabinet reshuffle, Asad said “Bilawal Sb, during your government four finance ministers were changed. One by one, all four brave finance ministers kept failing”

“Maybe no one placed this historical data in front of Bilawal, but at the end of their five years, the GDP growth rate was 2.8pc.

There has never been a government in Pakistan with a lower GDP growth rate” claimed the former minister.

Taking on the criticism over the budget deficit, Umar said “It is definitely quite large and at a level that it shouldn’t be, there’s no doubt about that, and it may even cross 6.5pc this year”

Addressing people’s frustration over the slowed GDP growth Asad said that the growth rate estimates by various bodies range from 3-3.9 per cent.

He conceded that Pakistan definitely needs a higher growth rate, “but certain steps need to be taken when there is a balance of payments deficit, and this their natural outcome.”

Umar also alleged that the PPP government had an approximate inflation rate of 12.3pc in its five years in government.

Bilawal shot back on twitter in response and once again called out the incompetence of PTI government and its ministers including Asad.