Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, stated on Sunday that Pakistan could overcome its economic crisis within two years—provided another event like “October 12” is not imposed, referring to the 1999 military coup.
Speaking at a ceremony in Faisalabad for the distribution of Minority Cards among religious minorities in Punjab, the senior PML-N leader recalled how then-Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf dissolved Parliament and removed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office in a bloodless coup on October 12, 1999.
Sanaullah asserted that Pakistan was progressing rapidly under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership in 1999 before the coup derailed the country, leading to issues like terrorism and severe electricity shortages. He noted that in 2013, Nawaz was re-elected and successfully steered the nation back toward development, citing stable economic indicators such as a dollar rate of Rs106, petrol at Rs65 per liter, and a 6.2% growth rate. However, he claimed that a “deep-rooted conspiracy” led to the ousting of the PML-N government in 2017, triggering inflation, economic instability, and a decline in growth.
He further said that inflation, which once stood at 40%, had now dropped to 4%, and the government was taking additional steps to ease economic pressures. He expressed confidence that Pakistan could become a strong global economy within a few years if its current progress remained uninterrupted.
Commenting on the 2022 removal of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Sanaullah stated that Pakistan was in the grip of multiple crises when the PML-N moved a no-confidence motion to prevent an economic collapse. He credited the federal government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), headed by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, for stabilizing the economy and setting it on the path to recovery.
He also remarked that while three traditional pillars of the state had lost their influence, the media remained the key force in shaping the country’s future. Emphasizing the role of minorities in national development, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring equality and unity across Pakistan.
Urging the public, particularly minorities, to disregard negative propaganda, he called for support in building an inclusive and prosperous nation.
