Nawaz’s narrative more dangerous than his statement: Qureshi

By Nadeem Shah

ISLAMABAD/MULTAN: PTI vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday said the narrative of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was more dangerous than his recent statement.

Talking to media in Islamabad, Qureshi said Pakistan might face US sanctions on the basis of Nawaz’s controversial remarks on the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He added that the PML-N supremo's political narrative was unsuccessful within and outside the party.

Discussing the issue of caretaker prime minister, the PTI leader told the journalists that consensus had not been developed yet over the candidate. “We have not been consulted for the candidature of the caretaker prime minister," he added.

Separately, Qureshi said his party had rejected the government’s Fata Reforms Bill because it was insufficient and would cheat the people of the tribal region.

Talking to The News, he said the PTI reviewed the government bill thoroughly PTI but rejected the draft after consultations with party chairman Imran Khan, adding that the bill would be unable to merge Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Qureshi said the PTI wanted introduction of Fata reforms immediately to bring development, peace and prosperity to the region and improving the situation there. He said Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had summoned a meeting of opposition and treasury members on Thursday night to develop consensus on the Fata Reforms Bill, but the government allies delivered very negative and alarming remarks on the proposed legislation during the meeting.

He said Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and Mehmood Khan Achakzai were a big hurdle in Fata’s merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The government was under pressure and did not want to be anger to two allies, the PTI leader said, adding that the people of Fata would have to suffer because of their stance.

Qureshi said the PTI had developed proposals on the merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and conveyed to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi that he would be backed in the wider interest of the people of Fata on tabling positive reforms. He said the government was not serious to solve the miseries of the tribal region’s people and the PTI hoped that the government to include its proposals in the Fata Reforms Bill. The government bill was confusing, unclear and non-productive, said Qureshi.

He said the PML-N wanted to bring reforms in Fata but was helpless on implementing the same.

Qureshi said that PTI stood for immediately setting up judicial system and holding general and local government elections without any delay in Fata. The jirga system should be replaced with the local government system, he stressed.

Responding to a query, Qureshi said no one could doubt the patriotism of any person.

Commenting over Nawaz Sharif’s statement, he said it helped India to hold Pakistan responsible for the Mumbai attacks, which was making efforts to include Pakistan to the black list.

Answering a question, Qureshi said Imran Khan was much clearer in his ideology and would continue taking stand on that in future. He said the people following Imran’s doctrine were considered part of PTI and others would be removed from party. He said joining the PTI did not mean a person deserved party ticket because the PTI parliamentary board would have to decide the matter.