LAHORE: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has lashed out at former prime minister Imran Khan, accusing him of playing with national interests and damaging the country’s foreign policy for political gain.
Addressing a press conference, the minister he said that the new government is working tirelessly to solve the issues faced by the country and work is being done at a fast speed under Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s leadership.
The minister alleged that PTI chairman Imran Khan was damaging the country’s foreign policy and other national interests “to keep his failed politics alive and satisfy his ego”.
The minister also claimed Imran Khan slowed the progress of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Pakistan’s relations with the European Union, the United States and even brotherly Muslim countries came under strain.
He said China gifted us the CPEC mega project which was damaged by the previous government, during whose tenure, investment not worth even one dollar came into the country. He said that the PTI Government did not launch work even on a single industrial zone under CPEC which were supposed to be completed by 2020.
He said that the European Union granted GSP Plus status as well as huge markets but Imran Khan started to challenge the EU to save his politics. He said that US markets provide a huge platform for the progress of our businesses. He said that Pakistan wants access to US trade markets as well as US technology in several sectors.
“No politician has ever stooped so low like Imran Khan and his minions are using childish tactics after losing power,” Iqbal said “Like a reckless and drunk driver Imran Niazi rams his political car into the country’s Constitution, state institutions and Pakistan’s national interests”, he added.
“Strong economy is strong Pakistan and that is only possible when we align ourselves with the global economy,” Iqbal said, adding that the country’s economy can never proposer by severing ties with other countries. “We do not want Pakistan to be like Cuba or North Korea. We have to put the country on the path of development, like Malaysia, Turkey, China and South Korea.”
The federal minister said that Imran Khan termed the No Confidence Motion against his government an international conspiracy. He said that the National Security Committee has twice stated that the top intelligence agencies found no conspiracy in the diplomatic letter.
He said that Imran Khan questions courts’ verdicts during his public gatherings. He said that courts were opened at midnight to stop violation of the constitution.
He said that the former PTI government insulted the Supreme Court by not following its verdict regarding local governments. He said that Imran Khan is now making the Election Commission controversial as he knows the expected decision in the Foreign Funding Case. To question, the Federal Minister said that the new government will not make any baseless case against its opponents.
