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Faraz claims opposition wants to negotiate personal agenda in talks over NAB laws

Minister says it is not possible that the government will give an NRO to the opposition, vows PM Imran will not be pressurised

By Web Desk
July 29, 2020

Federal Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz alleged on Wednesday that the opposition wants to negotiate on its “personal agenda” in the ongoing talks with the government over the accountability laws of the country.

“It is not possible that the government will give a National Reconciliation Order (NRO),” said Faraz while talking to the media in Lahore after meeting Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. He added that Prime Minister Imran Khan will not be pressurised by the opposition.

The minister, in reference to the ongoing talks, said that it was not possible that jails are closed on the orders of a convict. He added that those who have become “politically unemployed” have their own agenda.

Faraz, while taking a jibe towards PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, said that he should take care of Sindh as he has turned his national party into a regional one. He also alleged that Bilawal sacrificed the national agenda for his “personal gains”.

The opposition and the government are negotiating with each other to make amendments in the accountability laws of the country and other important legislation.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has formed a Parliamentary Committee on Legislative Business, under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, to deal with the important matter.

A meeting of the committee was scheduled for Tuesday but could not be held as the opposition boycotted it. The opposition had boycotted the meeting after — in an informal meeting in the speaker's chamber — the government told the opposition that their suggestions to the NAB laws were not acceptable for the ruling party.

Sources said following the debate, the opposition members walked out of the informal meeting and announced to boycott the proceedings of the committee.

Later, members of the government in the committee waited for the opposition members for 30 minutes before adjourning the meeting without any proceedings.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the media that there was no justification to attend the meeting as the government was non-serious. He said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) have identical positions.

Law Minister Farogh Naseem said the deadlock persisted in the Parliamentary Committee on Legislative Business and that the opposition wanted NAB not to arrest anyone unless convicted and also wanted the implementation of this rule from Nov 16, 1999.

“They also wanted NAB to take cases only if anyone committed a crime in the last five years,” he said, adding the opposition demands were against the government's narrative on accountability.