Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that the citizens had chosen sound economic policies that address inflation and improve the standard of living over politics of chaos.

In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the premier said, “People want a reduction in inflation, solutions to their problems, and economic betterment.”

The premier’s comments were an apparent dig at the PTI’s Lahore rally which ended abruptly on Saturday. At the rally, lights went out and police personnel cleared the stage after the 6pm deadline expired, following some speeches from leaders for supporters at Kahna in the provincial capital’s Ring Road area.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandpur arrived after the rally ended because of the road blockade. He briefly addressed his supporters.

The prime minister also stressed on the urgency of addressing people’s economic concerns and called for a shift in political priorities.

He argued that instead of focusing on rallies and political gatherings, the immediate need was to improve the economic condition of the masses.

“We will hold rallies in 2028, but right now, it is time to work hard to fulfill the pledges made to the people,” the statement quoted PM Shahbaz as saying.

He linked the success of the country’s economic recovery directly to political stability, warning that political chaos would disrupt efforts to provide relief to the public.

“Economic recovery is tied to political stability, political chaos means affecting the process of providing relief to the people,” he said.

The prime minister went on to praise the people for their role in the country’s economic growth by promoting political stability and emphasised that national unity was crucial for sustaining this progress.

“National unity for political stability will prove to be the guarantee of Pakistan’s bright economic future and relief from inflation,” he remarked.

To address the country’s ongoing economic and security challenges, PM Shehbaz called for collaboration between political parties, institutions, and provinces. “To tackle economic challenges and terrorism, the nation, political parties, institutions, and provinces must work together,” he urged.

Recalling the past political instability, PM Shehbaz lamented that “a lot of time had been wasted in political chaos”, urging that such activities were not in the interest of the country.

On the economic front, the prime minister was optimistic about the country’s progress, noting that inflation had returned to single digits and that Pakistan’s overall economic situation was improving, the statement added.

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“Thank God, inflation has returned to single digits, and the economic situation is improving,” he said, highlighting key macroeconomic indicators such as rising exports, a stable currency, increased remittances, and monetary easing as reasons behind his optimism.

Looking forward, the prime minister reiterated that he wanted the current International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme to be the last one for country, saying “if it is so, it will be a true success”.

He warned that abusive language, violence, and chaos would not lead to progress, urging every province and institution to play its role in solving the public’s problems.