December 3, 2003	Wednesday	Shawwal 8, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: The PML-N information secretary, Siddiqul Farooq, has criticized the government for its “failed agricultural and industrial policies.”

Talking to newsmen at the party’s camp office here on Tuesday, he said Pakistan would have to import wheat due to wrong policies of the military government.

Mr Farooq said in 1998-99, the country had not only become self-reliant in wheat but also exported it. However, he said, due to poor policies of the Musharraf regime, the country was expected to face a shortage of wheat next year. He said the government had created great difficulties for the poor farmers by withdrawing support price and not giving them any relief. He feared a famine-like situation in the country, if things continued in the same way.

Similarly, the PML-N leader said the government’s claims regarding economic progress stood exposed, as no foreign investment was taking place in the country. He said in the past four years, no new industry had been established, which was a proof of the government’s failed industrial policy. He said foreign investors were investing their money in India, not in Pakistan.

Mr Farooq said in the past four years, some 10.5 million people had been forced to live below the poverty line. He said even the economy of Bangladesh was better than that of Pakistan.

He said the whole world was protesting against the WTO agreements but the Pakistani ministers were busy in welcoming it. He regretted that there had been no increase in the salary of the government employees.