LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hit out at Prime Minister Imran Khan, claiming the latter is deceiving both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the people of Pakistan by announcing “fake” relief packages, while a federal minister jumped to the PM’s defence, saying the respite announced by the premier has unnerved the opposition that has a habit of criticising the government for the sake of criticism.
During a televised address to the nation on Monday, PM Khan had announced a reduction of Rs10 in petrol prices and Rs5 in electricity tariff till the next federal budget.
In a statement, Mr Shehbaz said he was praying Mr Khan did not take a U-turn on the reduction in prices of petrol and electricity. “Imran is playing a game equivalent to a Ponzi scheme where the IMF is being manipulated to please the people and the people exploited to please the Fund,” he claimed.
The PML-N president further said economic, national and public interests were being “sacrificed” to save Mr Khan’s sinking ship and his cronies’ politics. “If the petrol price has come down then why hasn’t inflation? Who will reduce the (transport) fares?” he questioned. “Under the Imran-led rule, corrupt, illegal profiteers have the government’s blessings while the people and the media are being oppressed and gagged through black laws such as the Peca ordinance.
Murad says opposition has a habit of criticising for the sake…
