F.P. Report
MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has rejected criticism by the opposition parties of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) proposed package, saying that the deal was being struck due to wrong policies of the previous governments.
Talking to the media here at Chah Jammu Wala on Sunday, he said that those who were criticising the government over the IMF understanding had themselves availed the IMF packages in the past. He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N had contacted the IMF after they came to power in 2013. Similarly, the PPP government had also availed the facility during its tenure in 2008. Then why they were criticising the incumbent government, he asked.
The minister said that the incumbent government was availing the IMF package due to 10 years long wrong policies of the previous governments. He rejected the impression that the IMF was interfering in the issue of replacements of ministers. He said a technical committee of the IMF was on a 15-day visit to Pakistan and talks were under way with the government. FM Qureshi said that every political party had the right to make changes in its ranks, adding that Maryam Nawaz Sharif had been nominated as the PML-N vice president, which is against the verdicts of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, under which the disqualified persons were not allowed to avail any political status.
He said that the PML-N had also nominated Rana Tanveer as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on which its ally, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), objected saying it had not been taken into confidence before making the decision. He said that if Mian Shehbaz Sharif’s health condition would not allow him to perform responsibilities as the PAC chairman, how he would be able to act as the Opposition leader in the National Assembly. He said that the matter would be discussed in the next assembly session, being held from Monday, May 6.
To a question, Qureshi said that prices of petroleum products had been increased due to increase of prices in the international market. However, the petrol price is still low in Pakistan compared with those in other countries of the region, he added.
To another question, he said that special price control committees have been formed by the provincial government to control undue profiteering, adding that the Punjab government would ensure all steps to facilitate people during the holy month of Ramazan. He said that the government had no differences with ally parties over the Local Governments Act-2019 as Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) senior leader and Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had already rejected these rumours.
Responding to a question, the foreign minister dispelled an impression of grouping in the party and said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was his only group. He said that former finance minister Asad Umar was an asset to the party and would remain forever. To a question, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was granted bail by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for his medical treatment; however, no major issues had been reported so far regarding his health.
He said that Nawaz Sharif would hopefully follow the orders of the Supreme Court regarding cancellation of his bail.
