ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has warned that profiteering will not be tolerated, particularly during Ramadan, saying that subsidies have been provided on electricity and gas bills to provide relief to the public.
Tarar was addressing a news conference on Monday to mark completion of one year of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government. He said the coalition government led by PML-N has completed its one-year tenure on March 4 (today)
He highlighted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took oath on March 4, 2024, and since then, the government has been working towards stabilising the country’s deteriorating economy.
The minister said that inflation has dropped to 1.5 percent, which is the lowest level in the past nine and a half years.
Tarar said that earlier, there were widespread speculations about the country’s direction, with many predicting economic failure and default. However, he emphasised that the government made tough decisions in the national interest and successfully stabilised the economy. With reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he accused a “political party” of writing letters to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) against Pakistan, stating that some matters should be beyond politics.
He also mentioned a decline in interest rates and an improving stock market as indicators of economic stability.
On foreign relations, Tarar criticised the previous PTI government, stating that Pakistan was isolated globally during their tenure. However, he noted that under Prime Minister Sharif’s leadership, Pakistan’s international standing has improved.
He also highlighted Pakistan’s successful bid to host the ICC Champions Trophy and emphasised that sports events are returning to the country, reflecting growing investor confidence. He stated that the president of Azerbaijan has committed to a two billion dollar investment in Pakistan, while Uzbekistan’s president has acknowledged Pakistan’s unique global standing.
Discussing economic reforms, Tarar credited the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir for their contributions to the betterment of economy. He stressed that all economic indicators are positive, with IT exports rising by 32 percent and the current account deficit turning into a surplus.
Tarar criticised the PTI government for failing to launch any significant development projects. He alleged that Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and Farah Gogi were involved in corruption and stated that their ‘embezzlement’ in the Al-Qadir Trust case was now catching up with them.
He mocked PTI supporters in London, calling them a “small group of mentally disturbed” individuals running after cars.
He also highlighted the government’s efforts to protect journalists and media workers, including the introduction of a health insurance scheme for them.
The information minister said Prime Minister Sharif has scheduled a special cabinet progress review to assess the government’s performance over the past year. He expressed the government’s resolve to bring a positive change in people’s lives by providing visible relief in prices of electricity, gas, edible and other household items.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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