ISLAMABAD, April 24 (INP): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar on Wednesday sternly responded to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto on the changing of finance minister recalled that four finance ministers were changed in PPP’s tenure, if this was the criteria to judge government’s performance, what PPP chairman will say about this fact?

Speaking in the National Assembly, the former finance minister said that Bilawal had said that Pakistan is facing loss with respect to its economy, seems the PPP leader is unaware that overall growth rate remained at 2.8 per cent in their tenure of government, adding that it was recorded at 0.4 per cent in the first year of PPP government rule.

The PTI leader admitted that inflation has increased in the tenure of the incumbent government, but the same was recorded at 12.8 per cent in PPP’s tenure and budget deficit remained between 7 to 8.8 per cent. The country should overcome price hike to eliminate poverty, he demanded.

Asad Umar said that in PPP tenure, the average loss of budget was 7 percent while 135 percent increase was also witnessed in the loans. Bilawal Bhutto had termed PTI government as ineligible and failed one but PPP itself had looted national treasure, he added.

PTI leader said that 8 percent reduction was observed in Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) targets in PPP government while they also changed four finance ministers.

Difficult decision will have to take to survive in this era of challenges, he suggested.

Umar admitted that Pakistan’s growth rate is not at the level, what was predicted and termed heavy payments of loan as main cause of the low growth rate.

“Heavy payments of loan soon after becoming in power forced government to take some hard decisions”, he said.

“Now when money is being recovered from Faloda Wala, Swiss and other fake accounts, such things will happen, we can understand”, he contented.

He said people of Pakistan are aware about the facts and added that steps are being taken for the uplift of country’s economy. “Inshallah Pakistan will make progress”, he continued.

INP/LK/AJ