Pakistan needs economic march, not political long marches: Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD, Oct 14 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday said Pakistan needed an “economic march” instead of repeated political long marches and protests.

Speaking in the National Assembly, he said the government would not allow the country to become a victim of political chaos and confrontation. He said the future of 260 million Pakistanis, particularly the youth, was at stake.

He said Pakistan could no longer afford repeated political confrontations and needed to focus on economic development, investment and job creation.

The minister said sustainable economic growth required a better security situation, political stability, continuity in government policies and structural reforms.

He said the government was working towards these goals and would resist any attempt to derail the country’s progress.

Ahsan Iqbal said the government would not allow Pakistan to be dragged into further political chaos, adding that the country’s economic future and the prospects of its younger generation depended on stability and sustained development.

He said the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, who has been convicted in a criminal case, depended on the legal process and relief from the courts.

He said a government could release a political leader if the detention was politically motivated. However, a person convicted by a court could secure release only through the relevant legal procedures, he added.

Referring to the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, the minister alleged that the money recovered in Britain had not been deposited in Pakistan’s national exchequer.

Instead, he said, it had been transferred to an account linked to a Supreme Court settlement involving Bahria Town chairman Malik Riaz.

He alleged that the money brought back from Britain was handed over to Malik Riaz to be adjusted against a penalty imposed on him.

He said the matter raised questions about alleged corruption and money laundering.

Ahsan Iqbal said the case had raised serious questions about the PTI’s claims of fighting corruption.

He said the party had often accused its political opponents of corruption but now needed to answer questions about the allegations surrounding the Al-Qadir Trust case.

He urged PTI leaders and supporters to question their jailed leader about the case, saying the party had built its political narrative around accountability and opposition to corruption.

The minister also criticised the PTI’s protest politics. He referred to attacks on Parliament, Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters and the General Headquarters (GHQ), as well as the violence on May 9, 2023, and the vandalism of memorials honouring martyrs.

He also referred to the burning of Jinnah House during the May 9 protests, saying such incidents had damaged the country and contributed to political instability.

Ahsan Iqbal said the PTI founder had access to the services of the country’s best doctors for his treatment.

He also recounted his own experience of being denied medical care during the PTI government.

He said his arm had been permanently impaired because he was denied physiotherapy while in custody during the previous government.

The minister said he had undergone surgery on his arm, during which a steel implant was inserted.

The implant was removed in another operation a year later. He said he received a notice from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the third day after the procedure.

Ahsan Iqbal said he chose to appear before the authorities instead of seeking an exemption on medical grounds, but was later arrested.

He said doctors and a court had recommended physiotherapy to improve his arm. However, he alleged that he was denied the treatment for two and a half months during his detention.

He said the lack of medical care had left his arm permanently impaired, describing his experience as an example of how political prisoners were treated during the PTI government.

The minister said he had never publicly complained about the hardships he faced in prison and had remained steadfast despite the circumstances.

Recalling his time in jail, he said he had also witnessed the difficult conditions in which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was kept. He added that Nawaz Sharif had not publicly complained about his treatment.

Ahsan Iqbal said his party had pursued its grievances through Pakistan’s courts instead of seeking intervention from the US Senate, Congress or international organisations, including the United Nations.