KARACHI: Lamenting a “worsening economic crisis” and record inflation, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Sunday it was game over for the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition.

“The Supreme Court will restore 150 corruption references of the rulers, God willing,” he said in a Twitter post. “The NAB amendments will be invalidated and the 10 million overseas Pakistanis will get the right to vote.”

Mr Ahmed, who heads the Awami Muslim League (AML) party, also took exception to a large cabinet, claiming that the number of 70 ministries was against the Constitution and vowed to challenge it in a high court. He also alleged the current government had 21 ministers without portfolio.

In a subsequent tweet, he said the PDM had burdened the nation with record inflation and claimed that the “petrol mafia” had prevented the government from reducing fuel prices for three days now.

“Reconciliation or resistance, the decision will be made soon,” he said, noting that sitting ministers couldn’t go to their constituencies because of the deteriorating economic situation.

Taking a dig at PPP Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the AML chief said the minister came to Pakistan as a guest actor and didn’t even attend his office.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2022