ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz on Saturday held former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan responsible for the current economic mess, saying that he should have negotiated the deal with International Monetary Fund (IMF) instead of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
Addressing a PML-N workers’ convention here, she criticised the PTI chairman for what she held as the sole responsible for the country’s deteriorated economy.
“I was of the opinion that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar should have not negotiated with the IMF, but the “person”, sitting in Zaman Park calmly, should have been asked to come and negotiate with the Fund… He ruined the country and its economy in his four years term and sat in a “bunker” in Zaman Park,” she maintained.
She also mocked Imran Khan for admitting, in an interview, to have held meetings “secretly” in Presidency with top military leadership and also by saying that “it takes two to make a quarrel”.
Maryam chairs meeting of workers from KP
“It means that he (Imran) is saying that I have forwarded my hand and the establishment should also give him its hand. But, I want to tell him that he must know that the “selection committee”, which brought him after the 2018 election, has been dissolved, and the “selectors” left for homes,” Maryam added. She maintained that the PTI chief’s “selectors” are now “regretting” their decision.
Referring to Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification in Panama Papers’ case, she mentioned that it was unfair to send him packing in such a way. She said when his services are required then he is asked to come and pull the country out of the challenges.
“Is it fair to ask Nawaz Sharif to come and rescue the country when the economy started crumbling, (And) when the country is rescued and pulled out of the challenges, then he (Nawaz) is disqualified, unjustly,” she asked.
Maryam, who is also the chief organiser of the PML-N, asked party workers to come out and get ready for elections.
She vowed that the BharaKahu flyover would be completed soon.
She urged the people to compare the governance of PML-N and PTI during the past 10 years in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, respectively.
She maintained that two projects, including the Metro service to Islamabad airport and Rawal Flyover were completed within one to two months, which the previous government of PTI did not complete them in three and a half years.
Further criticising the PTI chief, she alleged that his Bani Gala kitchen was run by “someone” else and now Zaman Park’s kitchen is also being run by “someone” else. “Because he (Khan) has no source of income.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023