PTI Criticizes Government’s Performance Amid One-Year Celebration
Key Allegations by PTI Leaders
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Economic Decline: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders criticized the government for the deteriorating state of the economy, service sector, and law and order. They alleged mismanagement and intelligence failures were exacerbating the country’s issues.
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Opposition’s Demands: PTI leaders argued that conditions would only improve if governance were handed over to the “true representatives of the people,” suggesting the current administration lacked legitimacy.
Omar Ayub Khan’s Claims
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Debt and Water Disputes: Omar Ayub Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, accused the federal government of owing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rs1.2 trillion. He also criticized the government for allegedly avoiding a Council of Common Interests (CCI) session to deprive Sindh of its rightful share of resources and accused the federal government of diverting Sindh’s water to Punjab.
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Foreign Reserves: Khan claimed that Pakistan’s foreign reserves had fallen to $11 billion, with a portion allegedly being purchased by the federal government from the open market.
Security Concerns and Intelligence Failures
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Worsening Security: Khan highlighted increasing security issues across Pakistan, pointing to parliamentarians from Balochistan who acknowledged that the situation was beyond control. He emphasized that youth in Balochistan were considering taking their future into their own hands.
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Intelligence Failures: Khan criticized Pakistan’s intelligence agencies for failing to address security concerns, with five out of 13 agencies allegedly focused on pursuing PTI workers instead of tackling security threats.
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Independent Inquiry Demanded: Khan called for an independent commission to investigate security failures, insisting that those responsible be held accountable to restore security and attract investment.
Fiscal Policies and State-Owned Enterprises
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Underutilization of Funds: Khan pointed out that only Rs92 billion (10% of the allocated budget) had been used from the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), despite the fiscal year ending soon.
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Losses in State-Owned Enterprises: Khan questioned the government’s fiscal policies, especially regarding the losses in state-owned enterprises (which were reportedly at Rs850 billion) and the creation of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), calling it a “white elephant” and demanding transparency regarding the qualifications of its personnel.
Shibli Faraz and the Election Legitimacy Debate
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Rigged Elections: Shibli Faraz, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, reiterated PTI’s stance that last year’s general elections were rigged and blamed the government’s governance issues on an “imposed” administration that lacked legitimacy.
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Call for Rule of Law: Faraz stressed the need for the rule of law, stating that without it, no one would be willing to invest in Pakistan.
Criticism of Price Inflation and Public Welfare
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Price Increases: Salman Akram Raja, a legal expert, compared the prices of essential goods between March 2022 and now. He highlighted significant price hikes, with flour rising from Rs60 to Rs100 per kg, rice increasing from Rs150 to Rs240, and eggs doubling in cost. Milk, oil, sugar, and pulses also saw similar price increases.
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Rising Poverty: Raja lamented that while prices surged by 70-80%, wages had not kept pace, pushing 20 million people below the poverty line according to government reports.
Imran Khan’s Legal Struggles
- Vakalatnama Issue: PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram alleged that Imran Khan’s vakalatnama (a document that gives a lawyer authority to represent a client in court) was being delayed by prison authorities at Adiala Jail. Despite submitting three attorney letters, the authorities allegedly sent back the lawyer without signing the documents.
PTI’s leaders continue to challenge the government’s performance across several fronts, including economic decline, security issues, and governance failures. Their focus on mismanagement, intelligence failures, fiscal policies, and inflation reflects growing frustration with the current administration. The opposition remains vocal in demanding a restoration of what they consider legitimate governance and accountability.
