Shehbaz Sharif bigger 'economic criminal' than Nawaz, says Sheikh Rashid

QUETTA: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that he considers Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif a bigger ‘economic criminal’ than Nawaz Sharif.

Talking to media persons in Quetta, the federal minister said that some PML-N leaders, particularly Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khawaja Saad Rafique, were “playing both sides of the wicket.”

“I consider Shehbaz Sharif a bigger economic criminal than Nawaz Sharif. I didn’t even realise until I became a minister,” he said, alleging that corruption worth billions was committed in the Nandipur power plant project.

He said that those involved in money laundering and looting national kitty would never be spared at any cost, and there should be Chinese-style accountability where 448 corrupt individuals were executed.

He added that previous government had brought the nation to a point where it was difficult to even pay foreign loans, and therefore Pakistan was compelled to go to International Monetary Fund (IMF) if friendly countries do not provide assistance.

“The government will bring the nation out of these problems, there should be no confusion regarding it. If friendly countries do not help us then we will compelled to go to the IMF,” he said, adding that people should not feel dejected and hoped that the economic situation would improve within a few years.

He maintained that these were testing times for the present government and they would try their level best to provide maximum possible facilities to the masses under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He vowed to pull Pakistan Railways out of financial deficit within one year, and increase profit to ten billion rupees. He added that Gwadar port was an unprecedented project all over the world.

The federal minister said that no slum dwelling along the railway line will be affected during the ongoing operation. He claimed that previous governments exploited Pakistan Railways just for the sake of their commissions and brought the institution at the verge of collapse.

He added that a 1800-kilometres lengthy special railway track would be constructed under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to link Gwadar with rest of the country. He further said the government would also try to construct a railway track from Gwadar to Quetta and extended further to Iran.

Earlier, Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed constituted a task force to improve the freight business of Pakistan Railways. The nine-member task force will be headed by CEO Pakistan Railways Aftab Akbar. It will suggest steps to increase the volume of freight and business in order to decrease the losses of the national institution.