Daily Times

The National Assembly witnessed an uproar on Wednesday as Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) staged a protest against Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan’s remarks against the party leadership.

Discussing the economic situation of the country in the Lower House, the energy minster came down hard on the previous governments of PPP and PML-N and claimed that the current economic crisis is the result of their wrong policies. Strongly criticising the PPP’s previous tenures, the minister said corruption is ‘in the genetic makeup of the PPP and the PML-N’. In an apparent reference to former president Asif Ali Zardari, he also called out ‘Mr 10pc’ in his speech. The PPP took exception to the comments and asked National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri to ask the minister to refrain from making such remarks. However, when Ayub continued his tirade against the opposition, PPP lawmakers led by Agha Rafiullah surrounded the energy minister and started tearing copies of the agenda, prompting treasury members to step in to prevent an altercation. Rafiullah and Omar Ayub Khan engaged in a verbal clash and the former also tried to hit the minister. Things were really getting out of control when Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar and Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry stepped in and pacified the situation.

Speaker Asad Qaiser was left with no option but to adjourn the session until Thursday at 11 am.

Earlier, holding the past government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz responsible for the current economic crunch, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said the PML-N government spent Rs 2,300 billion over and above its income. He said Pakistan was on the verge of default due to current account deficit and other economic indicators when PTI government came into power. He said the loan of Rs 30,000 billion is the root cause of the problems being faced by the country nowadays. He said country’s foreign exchange reserves have seen a massive fall due to wrong economic policies of the PML-N government. He said the value of dollar was maintained artificially which also affected exports.

Admitting that Pakistan has never remained successful in achieving tax collection targets, he said the PTI government is working to bring reforms in the country’s tax collection mechanism. He said those who got several IMF programs in their tenures are now criticizing the incumbent government. In order to save country from default, it was necessary to get a bailout package from the fund, he said, adding that the bailout package helped Pakistan in restoration of its trust in other financial institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

PPP’s Naveed Qamar said every individual in the country is suffering from inflation. He said utility stores and ration cards will not solve the issue until production is increased. He said the government is focusing on demand only whereas balance in production is required. He said economic situation is being discussed in every home today.

Former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the government has no answer for hiking sugar and flour prices. He said people are unaware of the economic image which the government is portraying. He demanded to form a special committee to investigate the sugar and flour crises.

While bashing the PTI government, Abbasi said all ministers are making speeches but showing no performance. Will the country be governed this way? he questioned. The PML-N leader said loans are being taken to run the country and if this regime completes its five-year tenure, Pakistan’s debt will get doubled. Prices of electricity and gas have been increased, he said, while urging the government to hand over these affairs to the provinces as per constitutional requirements.