Don't understand why PM Imran is defaming Pakistan across the world: Iqbal

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and said he does not understand why Prime Minister Imran Khan is defaming Pakistan across the world.

Speaking to the media at the Karachi airport, the PML-N leader lashed out at PM Imran for being critical of political opponents during his foreign tours and said, “I don’t understand why the prime minister is defaming Pakistan across the world.”

Pointing out the achievements of the previous PML-N government, Iqbal said, “In 2013, the whole world used to declare Pakistan as the most dangerous country but we informed them that we bravely defeated terrorism. We had proven that Pakistan can overcome the energy crisis through its own resources and this success of ours was made to fail through a political conspiracy under the watch and leadership of PM Imran.”

“The government led by us worked on the path of development. However, this government has started a negative propaganda about Pakistan across the world,” he added.

“PM Imran used to allege that corruption was done in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), but when he was in China he was all praise for the project. However, when he is in Pakistan, he bashes it,” the PML-N leader asserted.

Iqbal further said, “We are clean and not afraid of your threats. If you [government] think that you can hide your flaws through our arrests then you are wrong. We will not let you hide and will tell the nation that a failure is a failure.”

“Price are at an all-time high today owing to the government’s inexperience,” he stated.

“Till two months ago, PM Imran used to say that he will commit suicide but not approach IMF. Did he not know the statistics then? Today, Imran is seeking loans, what is his Plan B? He is fooling the nation.”

The former minister further said, “Imran Khan your 100 days proved to be 100 U-turns. We want your government to continue its term.” He added, “The country on a daily basis has to pay for your U-turns.”

Responding to a question regarding former premier Nawaz Sharif’s “silence”, the PML-N leader said, “He has been standing in front of you and speaking. We all are Nawaz Sharif, he is no ordinary worker and when he speaks there will be no U-turn.”

Further, he said that they do not want to create an environment where the “incumbent government can convince people the opposition is not allowing them to do their work”. “We want the government to fulfill its promises made to the people,” he stressed.

“Imran is trying hard that he becomes a political martyr and say that the opposition is pulling his legs. But if we wanted to do that then we would have fueled protests like you did during the Faizabad sit-in. We want to give you a chance so people can see who you truly are,” he added.

“For the first time opposition is asking the government to work but it is not,” Iqbal asserted.