Imran says PML-N govt damaged economy worse than enemies could

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said the PML-N government has damaged the economy of the country in a way that even its enemies could not have.

Imran also said it was shocking how former prime minister Nawaz Sharif left the incumbent prime minister with a bankrupt economy. 

Referring to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as ‘Pakistan’s economic hitman', Imran called for the immediate resignation of Dar in light of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference against him.

The PTI chairman was addressing a news conference focusing on the country's economy.

He claimed that Pakistan was never so heavily in debt as it is today and said the economy of the country has never been this weak. 

He added that $30 billion is the deficit between exports and imports in the country and there has been a lack of foreign direct investment despite the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

Referring to previous governments, Imran said there was more investment in the country during Asif Zardari and Pervez Musharraf's tenure. 

Criticising the ruling PML-N, he said they keep claiming that progress has been brought to the country during their progress. 

"Please tell me what progress have you brought? There has been no investment, direct taxation did not occur and yet they keep on claiming that they have brought about development," said the PTI chairman. 

"You need to bring your house in order first."

The PTI chairman claimed the debt of the country increased by $18 billion after the PML-N government took power and external debt and liabilities increased to $80 billion in FY2016 -17.

Imran also claimed that tax revenue was only increased by the government by increasing taxes on basic good. 

"Ishaq Dar kept on saying that tax revenue has increased."

During the press conference, the PTI chairman claimed that the country is witnessing rising inequality due to a sharp increase in taxes levelled on the country's middle and lower income group.

He added that the tax burden on the rich has decreased. 

He also said that circular debt in the country's electrical generation has increased despite a decrease in global oil prices and Pakistan has the most expensive electricity in the region. 

The PML-N government had cleared the circular debt hounding the country's energy sector soon after coming to power. 

The PTI chairman also alleged that the former head of the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) would send billions to Dubai every month. 

Earlier on Thursday, a meeting of NAB’s executive board decided to file three corruption references against members of the Sharif family and one against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

After the Supreme Court announced the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister on July 28, NAB was ordered to file several references against Nawaz, his children Hussain, Hasan, and Maryam, son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and Dar.

Khan said that whenever you bring a new reform, the existing status quo opposes it.

"Nowhere in the world MNAs or MPAs spend development funds; it's the job of the local governments. Public representatives are only supposed to legislate," he said.

"None of the democratic governments allowed local government system in the country, these were only the dictatorial regimes who formed local bodies. We provided these funds up to the level of village councils."

The PTI chairman also vowed to directly elect district heads like the way in Britain, saying the election for district chairmen would be held on party basis.