Major decision to revamp economy within 48 hours: Asif

LONDON: Former prime minister Imran Khan indulged in massive corruption for four years of his rule and destroyed Pakistan’s economy, which needs to be repaired through a consensus decision of the allied parties, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said here Friday.

The Pakistan Muslim League has decided to take allied parties into confidence within 48 hours before announcing a major decision related to economy in an attempt to bring stability to the current volatile situation, the PMLN leader said here.

The London huddle concluded Friday afternoon here after three days of deliberations where major decisions were taken and it was decided that the economic plan will be placed before the allies and their approval and agreement will be sought, announced Khawaja Asif at the conclusion of the meeting.

The third and final session was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, former PM Nawaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Rana Sanaullah Khan and Malik Ahmed Khan. Khawaja Asif said the focus of the meeting was on economy throughout as “Imran Khan has caused destruction to the economy of Pakistan under the state patronage.”

Khawaja Asif said: “We have inherited a big baggage of the last four years which involved corruption of families, bureaucrats and politicians. There was an orgy of corruption under ImranKhan and the people of Pakistan are bearing the results of this corruption. The people of Pakistan are paying a huge price for what Imran Khan has done. Dollar is going up against the rupee and it has gone up by 13-14 rupees in one month because of the state in which Imran Khan left the economy in.

“Inflation increased manifold under Imran Khan and the people of Pakistan know that very well. What happened over 3.5 years cannot be forgotten in a month.” Khawaja Asif said that PM Sharif will “take all stakeholders and allies into confidence and a major decision will be announced by Monday. We want to end the confusion to bring stability in the market to stop the destruction and toxicity created by Imran Khan. This needs to be addressed. The people of Pakistan are the ultimate sovereign. We will place our case before the people of Pakistan in the next 48 hours.”

Khawaja Asif said that former premier Imran Khan was involved in incitement of hate against Pakistan Army, which proves that Imran Khan “bites the very hand that feeds him. He has no history of being loyal to anyone, he loves only himself.

He has not been loyal to anyone; he's now attacking the same people who had patronised and helped him during his rule. Imran Khan only loves himself and he is a slave of his own whims and wishes.”

Khawaja Asif ruled out the possibility of early elections and said there was no pressure on the coalition government to hold early elections. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also spoke to the media and said that Imran Khan’s “foreign conspiracy” narrative was bogus and the people of Pakistan knew that there was no truth in what Imran Khan was saying.