LAHORE: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said the Pakistani rupee’s depreciation was speculative and as soon the government would secure the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal, the value of the currency would become stable.

Addressing a press conference here, Ahsan Iqbal said that because of the ongoing war in Ukraine, petroleum supply had suffered and resultantly, inflation had increased across the world. He said the current inflation in the country was result of the past Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) government’s policies and its deal with the IMF.

He said that the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) had completed various mega projects, whereas the PTI had nothing to tell the people about its performance.

The federal minister demanded from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the verdict of the PTI foreign funding case. He said that the PTI had concealed many accounts which were used for transactions of funds from abroad and utilised for personal purposes.

He said that the PTI had been found indulged in misappropriation of funds.

The minister said that the PTI had used the funding for social media campaigns in the country, adding that the foreign funding case had been kept pending for years despite many evidences against the PTI.

“There have been evidences against the PTI for getting funds from anti-Pakistan lobbies abroad and overseas Pakistanis,” he added.

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The planning minister said that the PTI also committed fraud with the nation and overseas Pakistanis by collecting billions of rupees in the name of dam fund and nobody knew that where that money was right now and where the money was being utilised. “Today, the people are asking where that dam has been built,” he maintained.

Ahsan Iqbal said that PTI chief Imran Khan committed political tempering to maneuver things in his favour, adding that Imran had also laid the foundation of inflation and fluctuation of dollar price, and economic challenges faced by the country were created by the PTI leadership.

The minister said the PTI leadership should avoid creating chaotic situation in the country for personal gains, adding that economic reforms and political stability were necessary to put the country on the way to progress and prosperity.

He said that the PTI left the country in difficult circumstances after committing rampant corruption and failed policies, as it neither delivered the masses nor launched any mega project of public welfare.

Ahsan Iqbal said that there was nothing for the PTI to mention about its four years rule except initiating baseless cases against political opponents, adding that the PML-N leadership faced fake cases but not a single penny of corruption was proved against anyone.

The federal minister said that knowing the facts that the country’s economy was showing a gloomy picture the PML-N accepted the government and took difficult decisions for economic stability and welfare of the people, adding that the PML-N had also paid the price of tough decisions but it saved the country from default.

The minister said PTI chief Imran Khan was using negative remarks against the country to create political instability.