Awami Muslim League chief and former federal interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Monday the country was mourning death of 300 Pakistani nationals in Greece boat tragedy. People died at sea in Greece to escape unemployment and economic carnage, he said. In a message on the social networking site Twitter, Sheikh Rashid said it was not the first incident of its kind. “When a 20kg bag of flour costs Rs3,000, people will be forced to swallow poisonous pills. Economic and political destruction, shutdown of factories and closed businesses show clearly how the affairs of state are being run. No one has any idea how to cope with this difficult situation,” he said.

Ahmed said the entire nation had condemned the incidents of May 9. “For God sake, give this nation right to live. People have only one time meal at their homes,” he added. “Nations are made of people, nations are alive with enthusiasm and passion." He appealed to the rulers to give the nation passion and hope and avoid pushing the people into abyss of despair and dejection. The AML chief said Pakistan would survive till doomsday.

The former interior minister said the budget was nothing but a pack of lies. He said statements of Ishaq Dar, Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif were contradictory. He asked Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan and see plight of the poor people. He asked the PML-N Qauid not to delay his return further. “I request the institutions to steer the country out of crisis. Give the people a ray of hope,” he said. The former minister further said the youth were suffering from depression and stress. There was a state of mourning at houses in Pakistan, said the AML chief. “Let's take Pakistan forward together. We are nothing without Pakistan, we have no identity without our country,” he said.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP