Musharraf’ tenure as President was best in Pak’s history: Ex-Finance Minister

LAHORE - Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s regime was the best in over 60 years history of the country, former Finance Minister Dr. Salman Shah has said.

Addressing a discussion titled “Pakistan’s economic crisis and its solution: Who is responsible for price hike in Pakistan”, Dr. Shah said economic indicators and growth rate suggests that the country did will during Musharraf’s tenure as the President.

“We had left 16 billion dollars reserves in 2007 which have now fell to only six billion dollars and ultimately the government has to beg form the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” the Daily Times quoted Dr. Shah, as saying.

He also claimed that current President Asif Ali Zardari’s policies have brought a downfall to the national economy.

“Pakistan’s external debts were 40 billion dollars in 2008, which have now increased to 58 billion dollars in just two and a half years and internal debts have also reached 40 billion dollars,” Dr. Shah said.

Musharraf had served as the tenth Pakistan President from 2001 to 2008, and was the Army Chief of the Pakistan Army from 1998 to 2007.

In August 2008, Musharraf resigned from the post of President under impeachment pressure from the coalition government. (ANI)