‘Step down and give relief to people,’ Shehbaz Sharif tells PM Imran Khan

LAHORE: Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to provide immediate relief to the masses by stepping down.

“If Imran Khan has no control over [the prices of] flour, sugar, ghee, medicine, electricity, gas, petrol, [failing] economy and [rising] inflation, then it is in his control to resign,” Sharif tweeted on Saturday.

Making a new record, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government on Thursday night increased petroleum prices by up to Rs8.14 per litre with immediate effect.

The opposition also criticised Islamabad over the latest wave of price hikes just two days after the premier’s announcement of the “biggest ever” relief package in Pakistan’s history.

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آٹا، چینی، گھی، دوائی، بجلی، گیس، پٹرول، معیشت، مہنگائی پر بس نہیں چل رہا تو استعفیٰ دینا عمران خان کے بس میں ہے؛ استعفی لکھ کر عوام کو فوری ریلیف دیں۔ چینی کے بعد پٹرول اور اس پر بجلی کی قیمتوں میں ایک اور اضافہ عوام پر مہنگائی کی بمباری ہے۔ ظلم کی یہ حکومت نہیں چل سکتی۔

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) November 6, 2021

Sharif told the premier to “provide immediate relief to the people by giving his resignation.”

“After sugar, the rise in the prices of petrol and electricity is a bombardment of inflation on the people. This government of oppression cannot work,” he claimed.

To put more pressure on the ruling PTI and develop a mutual ‘joint strategy’ against the government, the PML-N on Friday reached out to the major opposition parties in the country.

Sharif on Friday telephoned Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, Chairman Balochistan National Party (BNP) Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal, Head of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Aftab Ahmed Khan Shairpao, Awami National Party (ANP) Central Leader Aimal Wali Khan, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) Secretary-General Shah Awais Noorani, and Dr Malik Baloch of National Party and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq and deliberated over the issues the country was facing.

During the conversations, the political leaders agreed on a joint strategy, in and outside the parliament, against the rising inflation in the country.

They maintained that the people were unable to bear the burden of inflation and wanted to “get rid of this government.” The opposition parties also deliberated over the NAB Ordinance amendment.