LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that people are paying a heavy price for the regime change conspiracy where a “bunch of criminals” have been foisted upon the nation by the former army chief.

The former premier’s remarks on Twitter attracted a sharp response from Pakistan Muslim League-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz, who held his government responsible for the economic crisis.

Mr Khan posted a tweet after the Pakistani currency depreciated by nearly Rs19 to a dollar in a single day on Thursday. “Rupee slaughtered — lost over 62 per cent or Rs110 [to a dollar] in 11 months of PDM (government),” he wrote.

The PTI chief stated that the massive devaluation of the local currency had increased public debt alone by Rs14.3 trillion and inflation to a record high of 31.6pc.

PDM undoing ‘mess’ created by PTI govt, Maryam quips

“Pakistanis [are] paying [a] heavy price of regime change conspiracy where a bunch of criminals have been foisted upon nation by ex-COAS,” he said.

While rejecting Mr Khan’s attack on the PDM government, Maryam Nawaz expressed her surprise over the PTI leader’s remarks and said the current government was actually clearing the “mess” created by the PTI government.

“Mighty audacious of you to criticise those who’re undoing your mess created through your ruthless plunder, incompetence, misplaced priorities, cruel deal that you struck with IMF and then its breach that plunged the country into economic turmoil. So sit down!” she tweeted, addressing the PTI chairman.

In another tweet, the PML-N leader pledged to ‘block’ Mr Khan’s attempt to regain power with the help of judiciary.

“Let’s not forget to thank all those for this mayhem who handpicked and fed you [Imran] for four years, as well as the remnants of their influence in the judiciary that you are now banking on. Won’t let that happen,” she said.

Mr Khan in an earlier tweet chided the “imported regime” while posting the picture of retired Lt Gen Amjad Shuaib in jail.

“I feel embarrassed as a Pakistani to witness the depths we have sunk to thanks to this imported regime of a cabal of crooks and their handlers,” he said.

The PTI chief said that in their desperation to cling to power and muzzle all dissenting voices, they had jailed a “respected, patriotic” Pakistani on sedition charges.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2023