‘You can’t tweet your way out of a recession’: PML-N retorts to PTI in Twitter feud

The PML-N, through its official Twitter handle on Saturday, tried to convey its message to the ruling PTI that it was time for the party “to stop being arrogant and unprepared” and advised them to do their “homework, decide on a course and stick to it without taking [anymore] U-turns”.

The PML-N’s Twitter onslaught was in response to a similar move by PTI a day earlier following former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s press conference. On Thursday, Abbasi assailed the incumbent government’s economic policies, claiming the country faces an unprecedented economic crisis.

This did not set well with the PTI as it took to Twitter and posted a series of 10 tweets in which it not only criticised Abbasi for what they termed were attempts to “mislead the public”, but also issued corrections and clarifications in response to the ‘claims’ he had made in the press conference.

“The former prime minister said that ‘inflation is at 10-year high’ which is not true. The CPI inflation was between 5.9-7.9% also reaching 10.9% in 2013-14 during PML-N and had crossed 20% under the PPP government. Whereas, in 5 months of the PTI tenure inflation is between 5.8-6.2%,” read one tweet by PTI

PML-N responded a day later with 14 tweets, alleging that the “PTI has failed to revive exports and has brought manufacturing activity to decline”.

“One big reason for the forced recession is the inability [of the PTI government] to decide once and for all if they will go to the IMF programme. Please decide and let the markets know,” read another tweet