PM, Zardari, Naqvi defend institutions

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the statement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan in which he had levelled serious allegations against the institution and the country’s intelligence agency.

In a tweet, the prime minister said, “Imran Niazi’s act of routinely maligning and threatening Pakistan Army and Intelligence Agency for the sake of petty political gains is highly condemnable. His levelling of allegations without any proof against Gen Faisal Naseer and officers of our Intelligence Agency cannot be allowed and will not be tolerated.”

Meanwhile, former president and President of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday said one person has crossed all limits to defame institutions, which will not be tolerated anymore.

“The attempt to discredit institutions has exposed the true face of a man as its now enough is enough, after listening to the foreign agent’s speech, no patriot can even think of following him,” he said in a statement without naming PTI Chairman Imran Khan on his Saturday statement in which he made serious allegations against the institutions.

Asif Ali Zardari, while responding to the allegations of the PTI chairman without naming him, said the allegations against the brave and distinguished officers of the Pakistan Army are actually an attack on the institution with which the whole of Pakistan stands. “A person is fooling his innocent workers with lies and deceit, I am seeing the downfall of this person,” he said. The former president said this is the country where we all have to be buried, we will not allow one person to play with our values and our country. “A person is bent on destroying our ancestors, our children and our country, which we will not allow,” said Asif Ali Zardari.

Meanwhile, Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister (CM) Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday asserted that the interim government will not allow anyone to humiliate or threaten institutions and intelligence agencies in the province. Taking to Twitter, the Punjab CM said: “We will not allow anyone to humiliate or threaten our institutions and intelligence agencies in Punjab. It is our foremost responsibility as responsible Pakistani citizens to condemn these elements who are actually benefiting enemies of Pakistan.” Mohsin Naqvi assured that the government will implement the law and that culprits will be held accountable as per the law. A day earlier, the caretaker Punjab government announced to conduct a ‘transparent and impartial’ audit of the free flour scheme following the allegations levelled by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Taking to Twitter, Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that it has been decided to conduct a transparent and impartial audit of the free flour scheme in Punjab to investigate the baseless allegations.

The chief minister said that in order to ensure financial discipline, the free flour scheme will be audited by the Auditor General of Pakistan’s (AGP) Office and a private audit firm of international repute. He further said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman has also been requested to examine the scheme so that the facts can be brought out and perpetrators of corruption can be brought to justice.