Opposition parties coming out on roads did nothing for Pakistan: Babar Awan

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said that the opposition parties coming out on the roads had done nothing for the country.

Addressing the media in Islamabad on Thursday ahead of the National Assembly (NA) session this evening, he asked, “what the people who are coming out on the roads have done for the country?”

He said that the coalition partners will meet today to reaffirm their confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan.

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He said that 13 of 22 International Monetary Fund (IMF) programmes were availed during the tenures of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

He said the last IMF programme worth $10 billion was taken by the PPP government.

Awan said that the IMF had demanded a Rs5 per unit hike in power tariff but the government negotiated it to Rs1.40 per unit.

He added that the government also squeezed the demand of tax imposition worth Rs700 billion to Rs343billion, including only Rs71 billion on items used by common people. “Rest of the taxes are either adjustable or refundable,” he said.

#Live: Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs @BabarAwanPK talking to media in #Islamabad https://t.co/2SpFds2iUn

— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) January 13, 2022

Awan said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government made major economic achievements in its three years compared to the past 71 years.

The adviser said that the incumbent government was introducing a powerful local government (LG) system in Islamabad with neighborhood councils, adding that the Islamabad mayor would be elected through direct vote for the first time in history who would have a 12-member cabinet.

He said the Opposition Leader in National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif could not stand in court for a few minutes but he could deliver speeches in the assembly for three hours, seeking NRO.

Awan said the opposition parties have announced taking out a long march seven times previously, adding that the PTI government will complete its five years and get reelected through voting using electronic voting machines (EVMs).

He said the opposition never recommended the government that it wants legislation on a certain matter but only speeches.

He claimed that 25-30 members of the opposition benches are in contact with the government and asserted that the opposition will again face defeat in voting on bills in the NA today.

Read more: Opposition lambastes government over mini-budget

Rebuffing opposition’s claims on State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Amendment Act 2021, the adviser asserted that the final authority over the central bank would reside with the chief executive, not IMF.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan not only steered the country on the right track but also took hard decisions.

Awan said the PTI government handled Covid-19 wisely, prevented breaking of the food chain and mitigated the damage amid the pandemic, and received global appreciation and acknowledgment.