Dar, before the presentation of finance bill 2023-24, compared the PTI’s government era (2018-2022) with the PMLN government's tenure led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from 2013 till 2017, after which former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi picked the mantle and saw the National Assembly tenure through till May 2018.
In comparison of both tenures, the finance minister said the inflation was at four percent in 2017, and the country was on track for sustainable development in all the sectors. “The then-government was doing well on all accounts, with inflation in single digits and GDP growth of 6 per cent”.
Whereas the PTI’s government took record loans as never witnessed before in the history of the country. Dar blamed the PTI for also attempting to push the country into default. “PTI ministers deliberately attempted to sabotage the IMF deal,” he said, mentioning the telephone call of PTI’s finance minister Shaukat Tareen to the party's provincial finance ministers in Punjab and KP provinces.
Speaking on the 9 May incident, the finance minister also demanded that people who attacked military installations on May 9 should be held accountable for their actions. “People like these are not worthy of mercy,” Dar proclaimed.