Money laundering responsible for trade deficit in country: PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that money laundering is responsible for the trade deficit in the country. In an interview with a private TV channel on Monday, he said that the government had received the biggest deficit of the history. “We paid off US$10 billion as mark-up on foreign debts. The country would have gone bankrupt had the friendly countries not helped Pakistan,” he maintained. He said that Nawaz Sharif’s sons sent messages to two countries for sending him abroad. “But both countries know me very well and they will not make recommendation.” Criticizing former president Asif Zardari and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the former government had spent US$7 billion to stabilize the dollar. The prime minister said that the government was holding those accountable who had left the country pauper. “The country’s economic condition improves through exports,” he added. Imran Khan said that he had presided over a meeting today to control the smuggling of dollar. “I have no property abroad. No deal was done to increase the price of the dollar. The economy is heading towards a right direction. Improvement will be visible after July 3. We will collect Rs5,000 billion through tax collection and reforms in the FBR,” he said.