ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday lashed out at the government’s recent decisions, including increase in the gas price, warning that these policies could lead to an “economic meltdown” in the country.

In a statement, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the present government seemed totally clueless about the economy.

“This government has no sense of direction when it comes to the economy. Those who claimed that they will break the begging bowl and announced that they will not go to the International Monetary Fund are now asking for the biggest loan in Pakistan’s history,” said the PPP chairman.

Opposition parties say the ‘anti-public’ decision will deprive people of basic commodities

He said when the PPP came to power in 2008 it had faced the worst economic crisis but it still managed to keep the inflation rate low as “the PPP does not believe in putting the poor at risk”.

“The current government has given us nothing but inflated prices of basic necessities,” he added.

The PPP chairman questioned the government’s intentions as the “only thing the PTI government has done is to make the lives of the nation more difficult”.

“Those who claimed that they will give relief to the nation are actually snatching away the rights of the poor people. It is apparent that PM-select has done no homework,” Mr Bhutto-Zardari said.

He pointed out that the government’s policies could lead to an economic meltdown as there was a probability that inflation rate would go up to 14 per cent.

He said Imran Khan’s Naya Pakistan was turning out to be a nightmare for the people of Pakistan.

“This government has promised to build five million homes but it seems as if they will take away everything from the poor,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb termed the government’s recent decision to increase gas prices another “anti-public act”.

In a statement, Ms Aurangzeb said the people had not had even a second’s respite since Mr Khan’s party had come to power as continuous trend of increase in prices of essential commodities had made life of masses, especially the vulnerable segments of society, miserable.

She said the 60-day performance of the ruling coalition had proven beyond doubt their inability to deal with national and public issues.

She said the rulers lacked capacity to take prudent decisions for the betterment of the economy, trade, industry and foreign relations; rather the country continued to be on the downslide mode since the ‘Niazi government’ had taken charge.

The PML-N spokesperson said further increase of gas prices would not only deprive labourers and workers from their bread and butter, it would also result in the slowdown of economic activities, which already are showing a negative trend.

She said the voters had rejected the government’s anti-people and anti-poor policies in the recent by-elections, which was a clear indication of distrust of the public but the rulers paid no heed to their cries and continued to burden those who are already bearing most of the burden.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2018