ISLAMABAD: The Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday said that the PTI government is ready to hold talks with the Opposition, adding that there is, however, no room for negotiation when it comes to corruption cases.
According to Geo.tv, the minister was holding a press briefing alongside the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shibli Faraz in Islamabad.
During the press conference, Fawad Chaudhry said that the PTI-led government does not wish to throw PML-N and PPP leaders in jails.
"If these leaders agree to a plea bargain with the government, then they can go and live in London or Switzerland for all we care. Just leave us alone," Chaudhry said.
Taking a jibe at PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, the minister said that the PML-N supremo is trying to follow the footsteps of MQM's founder Altaf Hussain, but warned Nawaz that he should remember the ultimate fate of the MQM founder.
"Nawaz Sharif and the founder of MQM are the gifts of the 1985 elections," said Fawad. "They are not political people, because defeat in politics is something common. Losing, however, does not give anyone the licence to speak against the state."
Chaudhry further said that neither Nawaz nor Altaf Hussain can return to Pakistan, adding that Maryam Nawaz wants to go to London, but the government won't let her flee.
"I commend the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for getting Maryam's bail plea rejected [by the court]," Fawad Chaudhry said.
Referring to PML-N MNA Javed Latif's "anti-Pakistan" comments, Fawad Chaudhry said that the PTI Central Punjab has announced a protest against the remarks made by Latif.
It should be recalled that Latif had said that if anything happens to Maryam Nawaz, "PML-N will not say Pakistan Khappay," — words uttered by PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari after the demise of his wife, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
He also said that Javed Latif is "just a pawn", as such ideas are espoused by PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif.
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