PML-N plan worked as PTI lost Punjab govt: Ahsan Iqbal

LONDON: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has claimed that PML-N’s strategy has worked in Punjab as there is no longer PTI’s govt in the biggest province of Pakistan. 

Addressing a press conference here at Pakistan High Commission, the federal minister claimed, “Our strategy has won in Punjab” as Imran Khan had wanted to end the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in the Centre but ended up ending his own government in Punjab.

The News had asked the minister what the strategy of the PML-N was after a thumping win by Imran Khan in Punjab Assembly vote of no confidence which Pervaiz Elahi managed to secure, the minister claimed that it was PML-N’s plan which succeeded in the province.

The minister said that he had met Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Sharif in London on Thursday. “Within ten days, Maryam Nawaz Sharif shall be back in Pakistan,” said the minister, adding that Nawaz Sharif had no immediate plan of returning to Pakistan.

He said there is a history of injustice to Nawaz Sharif and the whole nation knows how Mr Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan and how a monitoring judge was appointed to conclude his cases to take him out of politics.

“Pakistan’s today’s economic woes are directly linked with those events. The country was brought to the knees not overnight but there is a history of how Pakistan was damaged in order to bring Imran Khan to power,” said the minister, adding that the PTI leader has nothing positive to offer.

The minister said that the PTI government’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) brought ruin to Pakistan’s economy and the decisions taken by the PTI government in 3.5 years was responsible for inflation and financial chaos. He said that PM Shehbaz Sharif was trying hard going around the world to raise money to keep the country afloat and to extinguish the fire caused by the PTI government.

Ahsan Iqbal said that the next general elections will be held on time, after the census is completed. He said that Imran Khan’s wish to occupy the Prime Minister House again will not be fulfilled. The minister said that a plan has been made to overhaul the party and a new structure will be put in place soon. He said that a decision has been made to overhaul the party and Maryam Nawaz Sharif will play a leading role in the rebranding and restructuring of the party.

Ahsan Iqbal appealed to the overseas Pakistanis to send money to Pakistan through banking channels to support Pakistan’s struggling economy.