Imran Khan-led PTI slams Sharif govt for economic crisis in Pakistan

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 20 : Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday criticised the Shehbaz Sharif government for the free fall of the Pakistani Rupee against the US dollar and the worsening economic crisis in the country.
Taking a dig at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Imran Khan said that the economic crisis in the country shows that Sharif never had any expertise in running the economy or administration, adding that their only expertise includes looting, money laundering and getting NROs, the Dawn newspaper reported.
"When US regime conspiracy's VoNC [vote of no-confidence] was tabled, USD was at PKR 178. Today it is PKR 224 and in freefall despite IMF agreement. The economic meltdown shows Sharifs never had any expertise in running economy or administration. Their only expertise is looting, money laundering and getting NROs," the PTI chief said in a tweet.
"The nation will hold accountable all those responsible for regime change conspiracy and bringing Pakistan to this sorry state of affairs," he added.
Meanwhile, Asad Umer, ex-minister and general secretary of PTI, said that the 'imported' government has failed to prevent the fall of the Pakistani currency against dollar after it slumped to an all-time low for two days in a row.
The general secretary further said that "irreparable damage" could take place if steps were not taken to get rid of the "imposed system," local media reported.
Umer added that there was a need to take "timely decisions" to control the economic crisis and the depreciation of the currency.
The Pakistani rupee on Tuesday surpassed all prior records against the US dollar after hitting a fresh record low of PKR 221 against the US dollar in the interbank market.
The currency fell by PKR 5.80 in the interbank market on Tuesday after it closed at PKR 215.20 on Monday, Geo News reported citing the data released by Tresmark, a platform for treasury markets.
The currency witnessed the highest day-on-day depreciation since March 26, 2020.
A day earlier, The Pakistani rupee had dropped to PKR 212 against the US dollar.
The political uncertainty in the country due to the by-elections in Punjab and the import payment pressure took the currency to its new low, Pakistan-Kuwait Investment Company Head of Research Samiullah Tariq said.
Pakistan's ruling PML-N party is set to lose its provincial government in Punjab province, after a decisive win by Imran Khan's PTI in the byelections to 20 seats held on Sunday. The Khan-led PTI won 15 seats while PM Sharif's PML-N managed to secure just 4 seats. One seat went to an Independent.