ISLAMABAD: During a farewell ceremony before the announcement of the country’s caretaker PM at the Prime Minister’s House, outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that he had taken pride in being the focal point of the establishment’s attention for the past 30 years, emphasizing that a hybrid system beneficial for the country’s progress is preferable.
Senior journalists and anchorpersons attended the event, where PM Shehbaz addressed topics including the economy, legislation, increasing military influence in civilian matters, media freedom, and other sensitive subjects during his 16-month tenure, responding to media inquiries.
At the ceremony, a question set to the prime minister regarding his acknowledgment of Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir’s role in the success of the Bhara Kahu Bypass project, apart from his efforts to promote investment in the country.
In response, he explained that progress on the Bhara Kahu project, a collaborative effort with the National Logistics Cell (NLC), had been sluggish. As a result, he sought assistance from the army chief to expedite the work.
He credited the army chief for ensuring the project’s timely completion, which led him to acknowledge General Asim Munir.
shehbaz discussed the relationship with the establishment
PM Shehbaz also noted that his relationship with the establishment had remained amicable, not only with the current establishment but with all previous ones, a fact he takes pride in.
Throughout the conversation, the prime minister discussed his government’s economic achievements. He mentioned that his coalition government faced numerous challenges during its 16-month term, with difficulties arising on various fronts. The most formidable challenge, he asserted, lay in the economic domain.
Reflecting on the situation, PM Shehbaz conveyed that after reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), some stability was achieved in the economy, eliminating looming threats of default. However, the issue of inflation persisted.
He candidly admitted that his coalition government was unable to alleviate the burden on the common man during this period. Nonetheless, he contended that in the final four months of his administration, inflation exhibited a slight decline. He acknowledged the need for further action to substantially reduce inflation and provide relief to the general populace.
