Pakistan Can Overcome Crisis Without Another ‘Oct 12’: Rana Sanaullah

FAISALABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, claimed on Sunday that Pakistan would overcome its current economic challenges within two years, provided another “October 12” incident — referring to the 1999 military coup — does not occur again.

Sanaullah, addressing a ceremony in Faisalabad where Minority Cards were distributed among religious minorities of Punjab, emphasized that in 1999, Pakistan was progressing under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif when the military coup derailed the country’s growth. He highlighted that following the ouster of Sharif and the ensuing instability, Pakistan faced severe economic and security challenges, including terrorism and load-shedding.

He pointed out that Nawaz Sharif’s return in 2013 helped steer the country towards stability, with the dollar rate at Rs106, petrol at Rs65, and a growth rate of 6.2%. However, he lamented that a deep-rooted conspiracy in 2017 led to the ousting of the PML-N government, which resulted in rising inflation and economic decline.

The senior PML-N leader assured that the government was actively working to reduce inflation, which had already dropped from 40% to 4%, and that Pakistan was on its way to becoming a stronger economy. He attributed the efforts to the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), led by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.

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Sanaullah also reflected on the ousting of Prime Minister Imran Khan in April 2022, noting that the PML-N’s no-confidence motion helped avert a potential default and stabilize the country.

He expressed confidence that with the continued efforts of the government, Pakistan would recover and emerge as a prosperous and stable economy within the next few years, stressing the importance of unity and equal rights for minorities in the nation’s development.

He concluded by urging minorities to support the government’s efforts to build an inclusive Pakistan, dismissing negative propaganda.