Karachi, February 21, 2023 (PPI-OT):Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor here on Tuesday said that focusing on economy is important for saving Pakistan; otherwise, even strong defence sector cannot save the country from collapse like the former USSR. He said that country is touching the line of default only because our successive governments and security agencies ignored economy.
He warned that economy is as important as the defence sector as without a strong economy even a stronger defence sector cannot guarantee the survival of the nation and country. The fate of the former USSR is a glaring proof of this sad fact. He said we made our country an economic power, but even being an economic power alone cannot stop the default.
Altaf Shakoor said that our security apparatus indulged in politics but didn’t care about the economy which is more important than the politics. He said unless the economic conditions of the country are right, it is useless if there is dictatorship, democracy or a controlled democracy. He said it is sad that economically and financially we are a slave nation, even if we are a nuclear nation. He said International Capitalism is our real master and owner and our claim of being an independent country is just a self-deception.
He said all our policies are dictated to us by our real master and owner through its agencies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). These lending institutions have made us a beggar, rather a nuclear beggar. We are in fact a nuclear beggar country. He said that unless this sad fact is realized even making one hundred more nuclear bombs would be futile.
He said if today’s world being an economic power is a must to be a military power; otherwise, the fate is being a former USSR. He said our political government and our security apparatus should put the economy on top of their priority list and announce a national economic emergency without further waste of time. He said the present government is too weak to sustain its own decisions like ban on imports or early market closure. Without courageous decision and their full implementation nothing could be achieved of mere announcements and tall claims.
He said that all politicians that are not cooperating to salvage the economy should be put behind the bars. This is the time to sacrifice the politicians for the sake of national survival. Harsh decisions should be taken urgently to salvage Pakistan and Pakistanis. He said the debt trap is a death trap, but our government and ruling elite are trying their best to take yet another loan from the IMF. He asked if this IMF loan would save the country from the economic collapse. He said the IMF loan may provide a breathing space for a few months but it would not let the country break the debt trap, but rather make this trap stronger and deadlier.
Altaf Shakoor suggested essential military training for all young Pakistanis to make a strong reserve military force. This will help in the better defence of the nation that is facing threat of terrorism as now the top policing offices even the largest city of Pakistan, Karachi, are not out of the reach of terrorists. He asked that the NCC training for all college students should be revived.
He asked immediate fuel, gas and electricity rationing to cut fuel imports. He demanded a complete ban on all luxury goods, and an emergency program of import substitution and solarisation. He said trade with China, Russia and other countries should be made in non-dollar currencies to lessen rupee depreciation. He said a free trade block of China, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey should be made to boost regional trade.
Altaf Shakoor warned the government, political parties and security agencies that this is the last chance to save the national economy. He said economy should be given the top most priority and all other considerations should be put on the back burner for the sake of the nation and country.
For more information, contact:
Press Secretary,
Pasban Democratic Party (PDP)
Pasban Central Secretariat
Office # 9, Five Star Center,
Block 11, University Road, Opp. Ibne Sina Hospital,
Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34024480-81
Cell: +92-322-2212434
Email: pasban.ppick@gmail.com
Website: www.pasban.org