Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Monday criticised the government for its failure to control the prices of essential commodities. “The rulers have no knowledge of economy as people are hungry and unemployed but it is being propagated that everything is fine,” Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement. “People are starving and the country is facing a crisis of rising commodity prices. Flour, wheat, sugar, vegetables, cooking oil, poultry, milk, eggs and medicines are out of reach of the masses,” he lamented. The PML-N president said inflation is rising in the country because every other day, government’s corruption scandals are being reported. He deplored that the government could not ensure the availability of flour in a wheat-surplus country. Meanwhile, former prime minister and PML-N senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi lamented that neither the courts and media nor executive are free in this country. He said even the prime minister is not aware of the economic condition of the country. Talking to media, the PML-N leader said that he has been waiting for three years and attending the courts but still is not aware what are the charges against him. He lamented the fact that Prime Minister Imran Khan is ignorant of the economic situation of the country. He took pride in the growth rate during his stint as PM, saying the GDP rate in 2018 was better than the GDP rate today. He said the prime minister credulously believes in his advisers who wrongfully feed him with false GDP figures and wrong information regarding reduction in inflation. He called upon the prime minister to ask his ministers and advisers to inform him regarding the GDP in 2018, adding that the PM should also know what is the per capita income of an average Pakistani. Meanwhile, PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal said that the elections of AJK Legislative Assembly must not be delayed at any cost. Addressing a press conference at PML-N secretariat in Model Town in Lahore, former federal minister said that the delay in AJK elections will not be in the interest of Kashmiri people. Ahsan Iqbal said that Imran Khan was involved in conspiracy of dismantling the government of Nawaz Sharif back in 2013. “Article 6 must be applied to Imran Khan for attacking the parliament,” he said, and added that he is sad over the exit of PPP and ANP from the PDM alliance. “We don’t want a fight with the PPP as our real target is Imran Khan,” he said. He was of the view that it will be in the interest of Pakistan if everyone obeys the constitution. “Obeying the constitution will be beneficial for army, judiciary and politicians,” he said. “Our defense cannot get strong without correcting our economy and politics. Imran Khan is not capable of running the government and therefore he changes the ministers frequently. There is need to change the driver of the bus who is incompetent,” he maintained.