Crisis is bigger than that of 1971

LAHORE - “Pakistan is facing even bigger crisis than that of 1971, and its results would be more horrible than the Dhaka debacle. Terrorism in the country would continue as long as the USA continues to interfere in Pakistan’s affairs.
When president house and prime minister house would stop accepting bribe, our Patwari and SHO would also stop taking bribe automatically”.
These views were expressed by the speakers at seminar on the topic of “Present Political Situation of Pakistan and country’s relations with Afghanistan and America, and the course of action for political leadership”. It was jointly organised by daily Nawa-i-Waqt, The Nation and Waqt TV here at Hameed Nizami Hall on Wednesday. Former Foreign Minister, Sardar Asif Ahmad Ali, former Governor Punjab, Ghulam Mustafa Khar, , former Federal minister for Information, Khalid Ahmad Khan Kharal, Secretary General ANP Ehsan Wyne and Chairman Pakistan Forum Glasgow, Hanif Raja addressed the seminar.
Speaking on the occasion, Asif Ahmad Ali said that Pakistan’s economy was steeping down rapidly with ever rising inflation. He said that due to artificial shortage of flour, it seemed as if Pakistan was some African country. Sardar Asif pleaded that common man should be given some relief following reduction in POL prices in international market.
He was of the view that Pakistan needed at least $5 billion annually for no less than seven years to avoid economic bankruptcy and agriculture sector needed minimum $3 billion to stand on its own footings. Country’s scheduled banks were disbursing loans at highest interest rate of 18 per cent, which was the record highest rate in the world, he added.
He said that now Talibans were not confined to FATA region only, rather they were marching towards other cities like Karachi, Lahore and Swat.
Former Information Minister Khalid Kharal said that loadshedding menace would continue for two more years. Had PPP not invited foreign power generating companies in 1993, country would have been facing loadshedding up to 24 hours, he added. Ghulam Mustafa Khar said that present crisis was more severe than that of East Pakistan, but at that time Zulfiqar Ali Bhuto was there who was the most popular and non-controversial leader of West Pakistan. He pointed out that at present there was crisis of leadership in the country also.