By Staff Reporter
QUETTA: Former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday urged the need for political stability to put Pakistan on the path of progress and prosperity.
Abbasi made the remarks while addressing a press conference alongside PML-N leader Miftah Ismail, former PPP leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Baloch leader Lashkar Raisani.
“Political stability is now inevitable”
Abbasi said, “political stability is now inevitable and difficult decisions will have to be taken in order to stabilize the country’s economy.” He urged to shun politics of hatred, accusations and backbiting.
He said the country’s current crisis was because of the past wrongdoings of individuals and institutions. Abbasi said the economic crisis was at its extreme, adding that the problems of the people had been left aside.
The PML-N leader proposed discussing the country’s problems at a non-partisan forum. He added that the main reason behind the problems of Balochistan was the non-representation of the people in the parliament. He asked if those sitting in the parliament were actually representing Balochistan. He said the forum had been held in Quetta to discuss and address all such problems.
PML-N leader and former finance minister Miftah Ismail said Pakistan’s debt had been increasing for the last 20 years or so. He said the national debt had surged to Rs51,000 billion, adding that the government was spending money to repay debts instead of providing basic facilities like health and education to the public.
Ismail said the country had to repay $21 billion dollars under debts and loans. He said government institutions were suffering losses in billions. He said that no government was able to resolve the issue of circular debt.
The PML-N leader welcomed negotiations between the government of Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund.
Baloch leader Lashkari Raisani said the country’s crisis had reached its peak. He underscored the need to initiate a dialogue to discuss the problems of Balochistan.
