IK will be released after submitting original receipts: Ahsan Iqbal

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Nasir Hussain Shah on Monday held a joint press conference in Karachi.

Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder used to ask for receipts from others while his own receipts were found bogus. He alleged that the PTI founder caused a loss of Rs 50 billion to the national exchequer.

“PTI’s founder will be acquitted when he will show the original receipts. You could not swallow Rs 50 billion of the country. You were demanding receipts from others, on your turn you are refusing to do so,” PML-N leader said.

“How is it possible the PM gets cheaper gift as compared to his gunmen? This is not Insaf, this is Tehreek-e-Insaf,” remarked Minister Iqbal.

“On Dec 31, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched the Uraan Pakistan programme which is beyond political affiliations. Stakeholders of Uraan Pakistan programme are people of Pakistan, not politicians,” he said.

While talking about development projects in Sindh, Ahsan Iqbal said that the federal government would keep supporting development projects in the province of Sindh.

“Federation will continue its support for rehabilitation of the flood-stricken areas in Sindh,” he remarked.

“Pakistan has to opt for modernisation in all sectors including technology, industry and education. Technological advancements are imperative to compete with emerging powers,” said the minister.

As for reports about sour relations between the federal government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party, Ahsan Iqbal said that allies might have some differences but for national interest both parties were working together. He said the PPP sharing power with the PML-N, “this light music used to happen in a coalition government”.

“The PML-N and the PPP are two big political parties, and they used to tackle mutual issues conveniently.”

He said that both the major parties have similar thinking with regard to the interest of the country.

He went on to say that both the PML-N and the PPP had different ideologies and divergent views on a variety of issues.