Criticizing the prior government led by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for allegedly pushing the country’s economy to the edge of disaster and distorting the moral values of the youth, Khawaja Asif, an outspoken leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), called for accountability for those responsible for the perceived “experiment.”
Speaking at the PML-N’s workers convention in Sialkot, Punjab, Asif, a former defense minister, asserted, “The country faced losses during the four years of PTI’s governance. Those who conducted the PTI experiment should be held answerable.”
Accusing the entire PTI leadership of corruption during their tenure, he expressed shame when recounting Imran Khan’s involvement in the Toshakhana case. This case involved allegations that Khan purchased gifts received by the prime minister at low prices and then sold them for substantial profits in the market.
Asif claimed that the PML-N would restore the country’s economy within two years. He expressed disappointment over the perceived moral damage to the youth during the PTI’s tenure, stating that it would take time to guide the new generation back on the right path.
He questioned how moral values could be rectified, emphasizing that while inflation might end and the economy could recover, addressing moral values was a more complex challenge.
In a separate development, PML-N senior leader Ahsan Iqbal dismissed PTI’s claims of unequal election opportunities, stating that PTI was not currently a victim of an uneven playing field.
Iqbal criticized the impact of appointing an inexperienced person (Khan) on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), asserting that a conspiracy in 2018 led to an economic crisis in Pakistan. He accused the PTI of plotting against its own government by clashing with state institutions and crossing a “red line.”
In response to a question, Iqbal stated that the establishment has decided not to interfere in politics anymore. He added that if the PML-N obtained a majority in the upcoming election, they would attempt to bring all parties together.
