ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab Central President and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Saturday named Aslam Gill as the party candidate for the by-elections in NA-133 of Lahore.

Addressing a press conference along with Syed Hassan Murtaza, Senator Palwasha Khan, Shehzad Cheema, the former prime minister lashed out at Imran Khan-led PTI government and said people were fed up with its economic policies which only brought inflation but the government and the prime minister were still not paying any heed to the miseries of the masses.

He also criticised the prime minister’s visit to Saudi Arabia. “In the current situation, the prime minister should have stayed in the country,” he added.

Regarding the State Bank governor’s statement that rising dollar was benefitting expatriates’ families, he said such a statement from the central bank governor was like putting salt on the people’s wounds.

Pervaiz Ashraf says govt policies have multiplied people’s miseries

“Imran Khan government’s policies have multiplied people’s miseries. Its spokesmen and advisers are using vulgar language against a woman journalist, promoting abusive culture,” he said.

“The rulers have brought disrespect to Parliament and are also using foul language against institutions,” he said.

The promises they made to the people are now haunting them, he said.

He said that every section of society was upset and now every Pakistani has a duty to come on roads and launch a campaign to get rid of this government.

“We cannot allow these people to harm the country because of their incompetence,” he said.

He said the PPP was determined to standby the people of Pakistan. The workers are in the field, they will go to the last stage of the struggle to get rid of the government.

“Today Pakistanis’ only slogan is: ‘Go Imran go’ now you have to go,” he said.

With regard to sliding Pakistani currency, he said the value of the rupee was less than the Bangladeshi taka.

He said even after three years the PTI government was still blaming the previous governments for ills the country was facing.

When the previous government increased electricity tariff, Imran Khan had burnt the bills and announced to launch a civil disobedience movement. “Now electricity prices have gone up from Rs4 to Rs28 per unit, so should we launch a similar campaign,” the former prime minister questioned.

Replying to a question, Mr Ashraf said PPP wanted a united opposition. “We want to bring a no-confidence motion against the government but our friends are opposed to it,” he said.

“We have never done politics of personal interests and have never left the people alone,” he said.

PPP is making efforts to win voters’ confidence in Punjab again. He said he would visit all divisional and district headquarters of Punjab on a membership campaign. The PPP Punjab central president claimed that his party would form the next government in Punjab.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2021