ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lambasted the power usurpers for causing the country’s economic meltdown, political turmoil and social unrest merely to perpetuate their illegitimate rule through elite-centric and anti-poor policies coupled with the unabated reign of terror despite the EU’s warning about Pakistan’s GSP+ status.
PTI Central Information Secretary Shiekh Waqas, in his strongly worded statement on Saturday, blasted the form 47 government for its unjust 300 percent pay raise of the parliamentarians to shield them from the back-breaking inflation while further burdening ordinary citizens through relentless increase in petroleum products and gas prices.
He said that the increase in POL and LPG prices was the sequel to the illegitimate government’s anti-poor policies that would further compound their miseries. Waqas stated that on one hand, the government was making tall claims of economic turnaround while on the other, the middle class and the poor were struggling to make both ends meet, contradicting their claims of economic recovery.
PTI leader went on to say that the form 47 government realized that even the parliamentarians felt the pinch if its disastrous economic policies, resultantly they were compensated through unprecedented pay hike at the expense of the poor. He criticized the government for its continued vindictive policies, inhuman acts, political vendettas against PTI’s leaders and the anti-press freedom controversial constitutional tweaks.
Waqas stated that the mandate thieves were little bothered about the state’s interests but instead merely focused on further consolidating their unlawful grip on powers in total disregard of the EU’s warning Pakistan not to take its GSP+ status for granted.
PTI CIS recalled that EU envoy Olof Skoog categorically told the non-representatives’ government that military courts should not be used to pursue cases against civilians, besides strongly opposing the controversial Peca tweaks to curb press freedom.
Waqas urged the government to immediately halt the ongoing barbarism and the worst human rights violations, as the EU team scheduled to visit Pakistan in June 2025 for the upcoming GSP+ monitoring mission, adding that Skoog flatly conveyed to Pakistan that the next round of the GSP+ scheme solely hinged upon Pakistan’s compliance with the various international obligations.
He reminded that besides the EU, USA & UK had previously expressed concern over the sentencing of civilians through military courts as well as over the rising incidents of human rights violations including the massively rigged February 8 general elections.
About PTI founder letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan, Waqas stated that PTI was pursuing multi-pronged strategies and would knock at all doors and would use all available options to get justice and steer the country out of the prevailing untold problems.
He hoped that the CJP would take swift action on the letter to address the thorny issues including the ongoing history’s worst human rights violations, mega poll fraud, Islamabad massacre and unlawful detentions of PTI’s leaders and workers in order to end the current political uncertainty in the country.
Regarding PTI-government talks, Waqas said that PTI categorically rejected PM Shehbaz Sharif’s offer to form a parliamentary committee, deeming it a mere facade to sweep the issue under the rug, much like the Model Town massacre.
The PTI leader noted that the government, lacking public mandate, was uninterested in forming an empowered judicial commission, as they benefited from the May 9 false flag operation, besides the government lacked the authority to make the dialogue process meaningful.
Therefore, Waqas vowed that PTI would explore all avenues for justice, secure the release of Imran Khan and other political prisoners, and reclaim the stolen mandate. Waqas vowed that PTI would raise its voice against the most controversial hurriedly passed Peca constitutional amendments and would stand by the PFUJ in its efforts to force the government to repeal the black law.
