Khawaja Asif for placing names of PM's adviser, SBP governor on ECL.

Byline: Amir Wasim

ISLAMABAD -- Accusing the government of hiding behind the Covid-19 pandemic over its 'failed and directionless' economic policy, parliamentary leader of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Khawaja Asif on Monday called for placing Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Reza Baqir on the exit control list (ECL). He alleged these two people might run away from Pakistan after completely destroying the country's economy.

'Put their names on the ECL so that they cannot flee the country before [attending] the last rites of the country's economy,' the firebrand PML-N leader from Sialkot said while opening the general debate on the federal budget in the National Assembly in the absence of party president and Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif.

The National Assembly which met after a two-day recess on the opening day of the budget debate witnessed traditional speeches from both sides of the aisle with opposition finding nothing good in the budget and the treasury justifying it and terming it the 'best budget' under the prevailing unprecedented circumstances.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umer opened the debate from the treasury side and responded to the points raised by Kh Asif in his speech.

National Assembly begins debate on budget

Attacking the present economic team of the government, PML-N's Kh Asif said Hafeez Shaikh had been given this responsibility for the third time as he had previously served in the cabinet of the military dictator retired General Pervez Musharraf as well.

'These people will run away from the country to report back to their masters who had sent them here. These people are IMF liquidators and now they have become caretakers,' he alleged, adding they had put the 'murder weapon' in the hands of Industries Minister Hammad Azhar, who had delivered the budget speech in the assembly on June 12.

Kh Asif alleged that Hafeez Shaikh had conflict of interest as he owned companies with Indian partners.

'Why do you bring these mercenaries instead of the elected people?' he asked, stating that giving such important positions to the non-elected people was negation to the parliamentary democracy as these people were not answerable to the people.

'Don't make a mess with this country,' he said, adding that both the adviser and the SBP governor should be given targets and they should be asked to sign bonds.

Commenting on the budget...