Islamabad: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has dismissed PTI's declaration as absurd and a pack of lies, stating that it bears no connection to reality. In a televised message on Friday, he said the country was on the verge of default when the current government took charge of the economy, and PTI members were openly speculating about when the default would occur.

According to Radio Pakistan, Attaullah Tarar said the opposition parties are fully aware that the current account is in surplus for the first time in the country's history. He added that they know foreign exchange reserves have increased, inflation has declined, petrol prices have dropped, and foreign investment is on the rise.

The Minister further noted that the opposition is also aware of the consistent growth in the stock exchange, which reflects investors' confidence in the economy. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has specifically reduced taxes for salaried class in the budget while the opposition continues to criticize merely for the sake of criticism.

Highlighting diplomatic developments, Attaullah Tarar said the President of Iran is visiting Pakistan on Saturday, which is a major milestone in the country's foreign policy. He remarked that whenever a foreign leader visits Pakistan, the opposition holds press conferences aimed at sabotaging the visit. He said the opposition lacks any coherent policy and relies solely on empty rhetoric, and is determined to mislead the nation.

Commenting on Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, the Minister urged him to disclose his assets to the public instead of lecturing the nation. He said it is an open secret that Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and his entire family are part of the real-estate mafia, which believes in coercion, force, intimidation, and thuggery.

The Minister said Pakistan was diplomatically isolated during PTI's tenure and their leader was involved in the largest corruption scandal in Pakistan's history, amounting to 190 million pounds.

Regarding the May 9 trial, Attaullah Tarar emphasized that it was conducted lawfully and fairly over a span of two years. He said irrefutable evidence was presented during the proceedings, including video footage showing individuals involved in arson and attacks on defense installations. He said the opposition has no justification or answer for the May 9 riots, which is why they resort to such press conferences and baseless outbursts.