Islamabad:
Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) criticized on Monday the government’s economic survey, accusing it of misrepresenting indicators and delivering a budget completely formed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Opposition leader Omar Ayub, PTI Sheikh Waqas Akram and PTI Mna Mnaen Arif Jutt’s central information held a joint press conference at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa house.
Citing media reports, opposition leaders affirmed that the number of people living below the poverty line have increased to 45 percent, compared to 35 percent, with approximately 30 million people now classified as impoverished.
“The IMF has transmitted this entire budget. This economic survey is a form of form 47,” said Omar Ayub, referring to the controversial electoral form and figures manipulated in the general elections of February 8.
“Pakistan’s purchasing power has collapsed. In 2022, someone who won RS50,000 now effectively wins RS22,000.”
Ayub also said that wheat prices have increased by 50 percent in the last three years, citing comparisons of two -year data sets from the statistics office. “Poverty has reached 44.7 percent. The planning budget for a value of 80 percent remained unused and expired.”
“And we have to ask: Has the number of four -legged donkeys increased or those of two legs?”
Going to the media, Sheikh Waqas Akram criticized the government’s performance.
He said that the poor have been shaken to their bones, adding that reports reveal that poverty has jumped from 35 to 45 percent. “There was no natural earthquake or disaster in these three years that could explain the collapse in agriculture and, nevertheless, it has collapsed.”
He pointed out that 37 percent of the population is linked to agriculture, and “their backs have broken.”
Waqas also remembered a moment of a NFC meeting, where, according to reports, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial finance asked how electricity growth was calculated. “The answer? They count electricity generated from solar panels installed in the roofs of the people on which the government has no control.”
“Inflation has not decreased. For the first time, 30 percent of the cattle remained without selling during EID. In the last three years, three million people have abandoned the country. When we left the government, the debt stood at RS43.500 billion. Since then, another 31,500 billion rupees have been borrowed.”
“This budget is not the government, it is issued by the IMF. This economic survey is form 47, not reality.”
PTI MNA MUBEEN ARIF JUTT, also speaking in the presster, referred to the comment of the Minister of Finance, suggesting that the policy rate should be reduced by half. “If the government takes the rebirth seriously, it must assume responsibility instead of trusting the window,” he said.
