PTI Leader Shaikh Waqas Akram Criticizes Government, Blames Them for IMF Fallout

Peshawar: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaikh Waqas Akram has strongly criticized the current government, accusing them of shifting the blame onto PTI for worsening Pakistan’s relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He stated that the government, after its failure, has been blaming PTI for having “laid the landmines” with the IMF.

During a press conference in Peshawar alongside PTI leaders, Shaikh Waqas Akram questioned Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, asking which specific IMF deal had been canceled under the current government’s tenure. He asserted that the actions of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government were now evident to all.

Akram also dismissed claims made by the government that the IMF had requested the postponement of elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after a rise in the fiscal deficit, calling this assertion completely baseless. He further pointed out that despite the government’s claims that this would be the last IMF program, the Prime Minister in question had signed four IMF agreements over the course of three years.

He added that when PTI was in power, the first allegation levied against Pakistan was that it was becoming isolated globally. “The nation needs to understand which isolation we were in,” said Akram. He also reminded the public that under PTI’s leadership, Pakistan secured a $2 billion loan from Saudi Arabia, a deal brokered during the tenure of PTI’s founder.

Shaikh Waqas Akram highlighted the importance of the Islamic Conference, which took place just 10 days before the no-confidence motion, where the Chinese Foreign Minister was also present. He emphasized that the conference helped Pakistan improve its ties with Saudi Arabia.

During the press conference, Advisor to the Finance Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mazamil Aslam, also spoke, stating that Pakistan is currently experiencing the lowest economic growth rate in history. He challenged the government to explain how the economy had deteriorated to such an extent. He pointed out that during PTI’s tenure, the growth rate was over 6%, while in the past three years under the current government, four IMF programs were signed, which negatively impacted industrial growth and inflated the cost of living.

Mazamil Aslam further disclosed that more than 10 million people have lost their jobs, with 800,000 leaving Pakistan in 2022, another 800,000 in 2023, and an estimated 900,000 set to leave in 2024 due to rising unemployment.