KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Monday claimed that it was in close contact with more than 20 ‘unhappy’ MNAs of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and if any progress was made in talks with them it could cause serious damage to the ruling party in the upcoming Senate elections.

Senior PPP leaders made this claim at a news conference here at the Karachi Press Club.

While condemning the government over recent hike in prices of petroleum products, growing inflation and its “failed policy” to launch the Covid-19 vaccination drive, they vowed to give a tough time to the PTI in the upcoming Senate polls.

“The panic [on] his [PM Imran Khan] face is visible,” said PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi.

Kundi says the ruling party announced Rs500m for each of its MNAs as political bribe

Accompanied by Shazia Marri, the party’s secretary information, he said: “Those who claimed transparency are bribing their MNAs who have been paid Rs500 million each in the name of development funds. But let me make it very clear, these tactics won’t work. Some 25 PTI MNAs are in contact with the PPP as they are against the party’s failed policies.”

He said the PPP was against horse-trading and there were clear directives from party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari that no such attempt would be made in the upcoming Senate elections.

“But, I am confident that if PPP continues with its fair and democratic narrative, these 25 PTI MNAs would be with us in the Senate elections,” claimed Mr Kundi.

Hike in petrol price condemned

Ms Marri while condemning the recent increase in petroleum products’ prices called it a “brutal move” of the PTI government, saying the fresh increase would make lives of a common man more miserable.

“The PTI government has squeezed the blood of the people,” she said. “It seems that the petrol prices are being increased to give Rs500m to government MNAs. The incompetent prime minister is wasting nation’s money on unelected assistants. The people will soon come out on the streets against the heartless government.”

She called the PM a “pseudo philosopher” who pretended to know everything but actually was unaware of every ground reality.

“From power sector to unconventional economic sector, every segment of business is on the verge of collapse,” said Ms Marri. “His [PM Imran Khan] knowledge about power sector is defective as the power loadshedding still goes on in several parts of the country even in this winter season. To add fuel to the fire, there is a regular increase in power tariff since this incapable government has been imposed on Pakistan.”

She alleged that the PTI government, which promised to bring back $200 billion of looted wealth to the country, factually lost $11bn in loan in the last 30 months.

“The debt is increasing with such a fast pace that it was never experienced before. The value of rupee to dollar has decreased due to the failed economic policies of the prime minister,” she said.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2021