Adviser to the prime minister and senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah has claimed that Pakistan will overcome its economic crisis within two years — provided that another “October 12” is not imposed, referencing the 1999 military coup that removed Nawaz Sharif from power.

Addressing a ceremony in Faisalabad, where Minority Cards were distributed among religious minorities in Punjab, the senior PML-N leader recalled that Pakistan was progressing rapidly under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership before the coup led by General Pervez Musharraf.

“The country was on a fast track to development, but after October 12, 1999, Pakistan plunged into terrorism, economic instability, and severe energy shortages,” he said.

He emphasised that when Nawaz Sharif returned to power in 2013, he revived the economy and tackled the country’s challenges.

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“The dollar was at Rs106, petrol was Rs65 per litre, and the growth rate stood at 6.2%, but in 2017, a deep-rooted conspiracy led to the ouster of the PML-N government, derailing progress,” he added.

Sanaullah blamed this “experiment” for pushing the country to the brink of bankruptcy, resulting in record inflation and economic turmoil.

He noted that under the current government, inflation had dropped from 40% to 4%, and further measures were underway to control rising prices.

Referring to the removal of Imran Khan in April 2022, he claimed that the PML-N’s no-confidence motion saved Pakistan from default.

He credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) — led by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir — for making all-out efforts to stabilize the economy.

He insisted that if the current pace of national development continues, Pakistan will emerge as a strong economy in the coming years.

However, he warned that another October 12-like intervention could derail progress.

Taking a critical stance on state institutions, Sanaullah remarked that the three pillars of the state had lost their significance and that only the media — the fourth pillar — would lead Pakistan forward.

Speaking on minority rights, he assured that minorities are an integral part of Pakistan and have played a vital role in national development.

However, he urged them to ignore negative propaganda and support government efforts for an inclusive and prosperous Pakistan.