ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has said that Tehreek-e-Insaf left the country bankrupt, we all have to pay taxes to save it.
While giving a press conference in Islamabad, Miftah Ismail said that the pressure on the rupee will end soon and things will become easier. Nothing has been done to depreciate the rupee in three months. Stabilizing, $5 million in imports this month, this drop in imports is welcome.
He said that Imran Khan left the country by defaulting but we saved Pakistan from defaulting, Imran Khan asks who is responsible? You are responsible, the trade deficit increased due to the policies of the previous government.
He said that tax collection decreased in Imran Khan’s government, Khan Sahib broke his promise to the IMF and the current account deficit increased. We gave a difficult budget because Imran Khan left the country in this situation this month. If the April fuel adjustment came in the electricity bill, what is our fault? You have increased the circulating debt by 1400 billion, you are responsible for the decline of every sector, you have not reduced the transmission loss of a single penny, have not reformed a single penny and have not done a single penny of work.
The finance minister said that Imran Khan is responsible for the current situation of the country, the reason for the current account deficit was Imran Khan’s policies, Imran Khan gave subsidy on petrol and diesel for loss, Imran Khan sold petrol at a low price to Sri Lanka. As you did, you trapped us by making electricity and gas cheaper.
Miftah Ismail said that Imran Khan increased the debt by 80% in four years. In the electricity sector, the circular debt was increased to 2500 billion.
The finance minister said that our lives are also sacrificed for the sake of this country, we all have to pay taxes to save it, I also taxed the children of Shahbaz Sharif and my factories. He announced tax exemption to shopkeepers using less than 150 units of electricity and said that a tax of 36,000 rupees per year will be collected from small shopkeepers above 150, if the shopkeeper earns 12 lakh rupees annually. If so, I am only asking for a tax of 36 thousand rupees.
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He said that my priority is not to control inflation but to save the country from bankruptcy, to give money to utility stores so that they sell flour at Rs 40, sugar at Rs 70 and ghee at Rs 300. There is no doubt that inflation has increased but I am forced to do nothing but to save the sinking boat first, soon the pressure on the rupee will ease and automatically inflation will come down and commodity prices will come down.
Miftah Ismail said that at present wheat is more than required in the country, they will try to increase exports from next month, it is hoped that the value of rupee will increase in two weeks, mobile phones are being made in Pakistan and will continue to be made.
