Veteran politician and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad yesterday, had requested him to take measures to reduce inflation so that masses could heave a sigh of relief, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday. 

According to an inside story of the meeting, when the prime minister inquired after Chaudhry Shujaat about his health, the latter said he was well, and added he would feel much better if he (the prime minister) took steps to bring down the prices of items of daily use. 

PM Shehbaz told him that the US dollar’s rate had come down courtesy efforts made by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, and now his focus was on reducing inflation. 

The PML-Q president assured the prime minister of his and a faction of his party’s support, but urged him to provide relief to the inflation-hit people. “We stand by you, Mr Prime Minister. But make efforts to reduce the prices of food items and petroleum products,” he insisted. 

The veteran politician also counselled PM Shehbaz to make the appointment of the army chief as per the constitution. “It is a sensitive issue; please do not listen to anybody’s advice on the subject,” he advised. 

The prime minister assured him that he would do what he had told him to do.

Sources disclosed that Chaudhry Salik would travel with PM Shehbaz to China next month. 

Reporter: Awais Kiyani