• Omar Ayub slams government’s handling of economy
• Criticises extension in tenure of armed forces’ chiefs

PESHAWAR: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan has said the government plans to introduce a mini-budget due to its failure to meet IMF targets, which the opposition will strongly condemn as the masses endure worsening economic conditions and continuous price hikes.

Speaking to the media outside the Peshawar High Court on Thursday, the PTI leader criticised the government’s handling of the economy, claiming it had consistently relied on misleading information regarding the economic situation.

Omar Ayub said that during a finance committee meeting on Sept 17, he had warned that the government would not be able to achieve the targets set by the International Monetary Fund. “The government has no solution for the soaring prices and the prevailing uncertainty in the country,” he added.

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Regarding amendments to laws governing the armed forces, which extend the tenure of their chiefs from three to five years, the PTI leader said there was no need for such an extension.

“This matter should have been debated in the defence committee of the assembly before the amendments were passed,” he said, adding that the move undermined the rights of many senior officers in the armed forces.

Omar Ayub condemned the treatment of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in prison, stating that the former prime minister was being denied basic facilities such as television, newspapers, proper food, and even water and power supply to his cell.

He also condemned the treatment meted out to former first lady Bushra Bibi, sisters of Imran Khan and other imprisoned PTI leaders, including Mian Mahmood Rasheed, Umer Sarfaraz Cheema, Chaudhry Ijaz and Yasmin Rashid. “I also condemn the treatment of party workers facing military court trials, including Hassan Niazi and the 84 others.”

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Responding to a question about his felicitation to US President-elect Donald Trump, Omar Ayub emphasised that as opposition leader, it was his duty to extend congratulations on his victory.

He said they wanted cordial relations with the US and European Union, as both are trading partners of Pakistan.

“A large number of Pakistanis live in the US, and it is in the interest of both countries to maintain good relations,” he added.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2024