ISLAMABAD: Directing its workers to start preparations for the general elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has called meetings of the core committee and parliamentary party to finalise arrangements for bringing two million people to Islamabad.

In a meeting, chaired by PTI chairman Imran Khan, it was decided that two million people would be gathered in the federal capital for the “freedom and independence of Pakistan”. The meetings of PTI’s core committee and parliamentary party will be held on May 9 to finalise arrangements for this ‘Azadi March’.

Besides, meetings of all organisations and committees of the PTI across the country have been called and the party workers directed to start preparations for the general elections.

Moreover, PTI’s financial team questioned the ability of the PML-N-led coalition government to deal with economic and energy crises. The party’s focal person for financial issues Hammad Azhar said that in just three weeks it had been proved that the government was incompetent.

In a tweet, the former energy minister claimed that despite having production capacity, the whole country was facing severe loadshedding.

“There is ample quantity of diesel but farmers have been running from pillar to post to get diesel. The growing economy has been pushed towards disaster. The only solution to these issues is to hold general elections,” he said.

Former finance minister Shaukat Tarin also questioned the government’s ability to address financial issues.

“Kibor [Karachi Inter-Bank Offered Rate] rates have gone up by 5pc in less than 30 days. This will affect businesses and individual borrowers and retard economic growth. What is happening guys, who is managing the store!!,” he tweeted.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2022