Govt will buy all-time high priced LNG: Miftah Ismail

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s central leader and former federal finance minister Miftah Ismail on Thursday claimed the federal government would buy an all-time-high priced liquefied natural gas (LNG) in February. He said the PML-N-led government had established two LNG terminals but the PTI government didn’t add any in its two and a half year rule. Ismail was addressing a press conference at the Muslim League House in Karachi. Khawaja Tariq Nazeer, Nasiruddin Mehmood and other leaders accompanied him.

He said that the PML-N left the government with a 5.5 percent growth rate, which had been pushed into negative territory. “The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government had borrowed more money than the total amount incurred during the three tenures of Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister,” he said.

Ismail questioned why power was not generated at a higher rate in the world like Pakistan where circular debt had multiplied despite the increase in electricity tariff. Ismail also asked the Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders to quit the coalition government if it was sincere with the people of Karachi and seriously angered over the census issue.

“PML-N's prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had suggested conducting re-testing of the census in Karachi,” he said, adding “Because of census statistics, seats in Karachi have been increased, not in Punjab.”

He said that the PTI-led "incompetent government" should accept its failure in running the country’s affairs and announce fresh polls. He condemned the arrest of former foreign minister and PML-N’s senior leader Khawaja Asif by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Islamabad and said that the PML-N and the Pakistan Democratic Movement are not afraid of the federal government’s harassment. “The struggle for the ouster of the incumbent government has just begun and the rulers now want to suppress the people's movement by arresting the leaders,” said Ismail.

In reply to a question with differences in the PDM’s ranks over the resignation from the assemblies, Ismail said that the Pakistan People’s Party supremo Asif Ali Zardari understood politics and had advised to adopt alternative ways.