Shahbaz tells PM to stop defending ‘U-turns’

ISLAMABAD: The Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Friday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should stop defending his “U-turns” and serve masses before the incumbent government with “fake mandate” meets its political death.

The PML-N president turned up in the National Assembly to attend proceedings after the Speaker issued his production orders from custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

He came harsh on Imran Khan for saying that taking U-turns is identity of great leaders and also once again challenged the PTI chairman to furnish evidence in support of his claims that the opposition leaders were trying to reach NRO.

Shahbaz while ridiculing mandate being enjoyed by the incumbent government went to the extent of saying that Allah has provided them opportunity of fake mandate for five years. Finance Minister Asad Umar who spoke later objected to wording from the opposition leader.

Taking strong exception to Government’s wrong policies, Shahbaz said the rulers should care of masses for whom they have committed 10 million jobs and five million houses. “Instead, the people are crying because of unprecedented price hike,” he said.

The opposition leader, referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement given in Malaysia that the whole opposition would land in prison, asked him to behave with responsibility but it seemed that he was still standing on container. “To whom you are giving such threats. Such attitude will harm national interests giving negative impression at the outside world,” he said adding the government should take care of interest of 220 million people of the country.

Speaking about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statements on corruption and NRO, the opposition leader said he had already challenged him to give evidence in support of his claims on floor of the House that Nawaz Sharif or any other leader from the opposition had requested for NRO. “How things will move forward if you continue to behave in an irresponsible way,” he said.

He also paid tributes to policemen who lost their lives while defending the Chinese Consulate in Karachi saying the terrorist act which was foiled was carried out by the enemy which was afraid of Pak-China friendship.

Earlier speaking on a point of order, PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique asked the government to tell the House as to when it would implement decision of the Supreme Court regarding making changes in the NAB laws particularly those which were discriminatory and being used for political vicitimisation of opponents. “But so far the government is using delaying tactics in implementing the decision,” he said maintaining that the opposition had no intention of toppling the government

Khawaja Asif suggested that issue of U-turns should be decided once and for all saying the term of U-turns should also be defined. He also proposed that arrangement should be made to replay past speeches of the parliamentarians on mega screen installed in the Parliament House so that they themselves could know what they had stated.