F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Saturday admitted that tough decisions taken by the federal government to get the bailout package by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) caused runaway inflation which the government was unable to control.
However, he said that the opposition gloating that their narrative against the government was gaining popularity in the masses was an incorrect perception.
He said this while addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Saturday.
“An attempt is being made by the opposition to paint their their narrative as popular among the masses,” Sanaullah said, adding, “It is a fact when it was the PTI govt, there was inflation and the government of the time was blamed.”
“We could not control inflation, we do not deny it,” he admitted.
The interior minister said that it was their hope and calculation that as soon as the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is brokered and the bailout program is put back on track, relief would be given to the people.
On resuming the IMF program, Sanaullah said that there were obstacles.
“Some of it was due to the anti-state policies of Imran Khan and the very wrong deal done with IMF,” he said.
“We tried to talk to IMF and they said you violated the terms of the deal. We said that we did not do it and we should not be penalized for it but they maintained that the government of Pakistan broke the deal.”
Sanaullah went on to say that their administration took some tough decisions to resume the deal which resulted in inflation.
This gave some people opportunity to say they were right and we were wrong and allowed politicking.
On Imran Khan’s threat to march on Islamabad with ‘preparation’, Sanaullah said that Imran has been running a movement for the past month and a half.
He added that Imran claimed to have gathered a crowd of some two million people to march on Islamabad but he failed to do that.
The interior minister went on to say that Imran has once again announced to march on Islamabad with preparation, we will see what preparation he has made.
He also warned that if Imran brings armed men, then they will be responded in kind. But if Imran comes for a peaceful protest, then we will offer him choice of locations approved by the court to peacefully hold a rally.
On taking action against Punjab for refusing the federal government’s request to give around 20,000 police officers, Sanaullah said that there exist provisions in the constitution that prescribe a course of action.
Asked if Governor rule will be implemented, the interior minister said that he cannot decide that, adding that this is something for the federal cabinet and the parliament to decide.
