Will Take More Tough Decisions To End Economic Crisis: PM.

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif vowed that the coalition government was determined to take tough decisions to steer the country out of current economic crisis.

Expressing his strong optimism, the prime minister, while talking to media persons after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said it was his strong conviction that good times were in store for the country.

About the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement, the prime minister first openly accused the previous PTI's government of violating agreement with the IMF with whom they agreed to increase petroleum prices and impose new taxes, but they had capped the petroleum prices by backtracking on the agreement.

He said that due to such ploys by the previous government, the country was facing difficulty with the IMF.

Shehbaz Sharif also mentioned that the global economic situation was complicated as the prices of petrol and grains were spiralling.

He claimed that the coalition government inherited severe economic crises left behind by the previous government, but with hard work and dedication, the coalition government would steer the country out of the current challenges.

In an open reference to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, Shehbaz Sharif said that it had left behind a backlog of worst and imprudent economic policies, tainted with poor performance.

Criticising his predecessors, he said the previous government reduced petroleum prices at the time of their exit from power corridors which smack of conspiracy and based upon ill-will.

'If they had any concerns and felt pain for the people, they ought to leave behind a precedent of serving the masses by providing any relief in their three and half years rule,' the prime minister regretted. He said that these were hard times, and they had taken difficult and bold decisions and hinted if required in future, they would take such steps for the economic turnaround.

'We will not budge from taking necessary steps to set the country's economy on the right track with hard work and nation's prayers,' he stressed.

The government had decided to increase prices of petroleum products with a heavy heart, he said, adding, under a decision in the budget, about 70 million people were being provided financial support worth millions of rupees through activation of a helpline.

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