Sunday, 20 November, 2022 I 24 Rabi us Sani, 1444 I Rs 15.00 | Vol XIII No 141 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
default rumors: dar says Pakistan will fulfill its commitments g
says govt arranged all int’l payments for next one year
g
says reserves of petroleum products ample for local need and demand
ISLAMABAD
m
staff report
inister of finance and revenue senator muhammad ishaq dar saturday ruled out any prospects of pakistan being on verge of default over its international payments and reiterated that it would never come close to it as it was committed to making all its payments on time without any delay. in a video massage, he strongly rejected the baseless and irresponsible statements and rumors about the country’s economy, saying that the government had arranged all international payments for the next one year. the finance minister said that for the past few days, baseless and irresponsible rumors had been circulating about the country’s economy just for the political objectives.
When these rumors were spread through social media and various sources, it not only affected pakistan’s economy and economic interests, but also impacted the affairs and transactions with their bilateral and multilateral partners, he opined.
the finance minister said that rumors were being spread that pakistan would not be able to pay $1 billion sovereign bond (sukuk) in december. “this is baseless and contrary to facts, pakistan has never defaulted on its international payments and will never come close
to it,” he maintained. rumors are also being spread about pakistan’s credit default swap, he said, adding that they had their own ambitions and formula with regard to credit default swap, this was a baseless thing and the speculations in this regard should be stopped. the finance minister said that rumors were making rounds about the petroleum products which were also fake. pakistan has reserves of petroleum products according to the country ’s need and demand and there is no need for worry, he added. apart from disturbing the public, such rumors also created concern in the financial and international institutions and they sent questions, which not only harmed the efforts for economic interests but also wasted time, he further said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
Converge at Rawalpindi on Nov 26 for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’, Imran tells nation LAHORE staff report
former prime minister and pti chairman imran Khan on saturday asked his supporters and party leaders to converge on rawalpindi on november 26 for “Haqeeqi azadi” and to demand free and fair elections to save the country from economic collapse. “i am inviting the entire nation to reach rawalpindi on november 26 (next saturday). i will meet you there and announce future course of action. this movement is not going to stop even after this march,” he said while addressing
supporters via video link in rawat on saturday. “We can never achieve real freedom while sitting at home and living like sheep,” he said as he urged supporters to come out of their homes to force the government to call snap polls. imran also addressed the powerful quarters, saying, “ask anyone you want be it business community, farmers, it sector or anyone else… everyone believes that free and fair elections is the only way forward to steer the country out of this quagmire”. the former premier said the incumbent government did not have any plan or road map to lift the country out of crises.
“the entire nation will come there [rawalpindi] and we will demand free and fair elections… this movement will not stop until we achieve real freedom.” ‘establishment imposed thieves on country’ imran criticised establishment, saying that he was surprised by the establishment’s decision to impose “corrupt” sharif and Zardari families on the country. “establishment has the power and can take country towards any direction — positive or negative.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
Army Chief’s appointment is prerogative of PM: Bilawal ISLAMABAD staff report
chairman of pakistan people’s party and foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari saturday said that under relevant procedure and laws, the appointment of the chief of army staff (coas) was a prerogative of the incumbent prime minister whereas imran Khan was trying to make the whole process controversial, which would not be allowed. addressing a news conference here, the foreign minister said that pakistan tehreek-iinsaf (pti) chief wanted to link his politics with the appointment process of the new army chief. imran Khan thought about himself only and did not care for the entire country suffering from the consequences of his petty politics, Bilawal regretted. “Why did you choose rawalpindi? Khan sahib let this decision (appointment of coas) happen,” he said and suggested to pti’s chief to postpone his long march for the time being. the foreign minister said the previous pti’s government had damaged country’s foreign policy, economy and democratic set up and now imran Khan only wanted to create political instability which would be strongly resisted. He said that during international monetary fund (imf) agreement, imran Khan had attacked islamabad, which was foiled. now all the democratic forces in the country were united and the pti chief would not be allowed playing such like past tactics, he added. the country and its people could no longer bear any crises, he maintained. the foreign minister said peaceful demonstration was a democratic right, but no unconstitutional or undemocratic tactics could be allowed and reiterated that pakistan peoples party would play its democratic role as it had manifested in the past by resisting all the undemocratic moves. “Khan sahib wants to stop institutions playing their democratic role. He wants to make undemocratic moves, but we will not allow him,” he said and added that the parliamentary parties had played a very democratic role to oust the government of imran Khan through a vote of no confidence.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05