Nawaz bogged down in mire of PanamaLeaks scandal: PPP

Bilawal says issue will be resolved only in parliament; warns govt no leniency will be shown over demands after Dec 27; Khursheed accuses Nawaz of taking

shelter in Qatari prince’s statement

KARACHI: Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has warned the government to meet his four demands by December 27 as no leniency would be shown by the opposition party after that date.

He convened a meeting of PPP’s legal advisers at the Bilawal House on Saturday to discuss the Panama Leaks case and the political situation in the country.

Opposition Leader in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan, Sardar Latif Khosa and newly-elected PPP Central Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira among others attended the meeting.

Bilawal said the leaders of the country could not escape ‘democratic accountability’.

Aitzaz Ahsan informed Bilawal about contacts with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while Lateef Khosa briefed Bilawal on the legal aspects of the Panama Leaks case.

The meeting agreed to raise the Panama Leaks issue in parliament and on public forums. The meeting also discussed Ishaq Dar, Federal Finance Minister’s latest statement that allegedly hinted at the government’s willingness to agree to three out of the four demands of the PPP. However, Bilawal said that constitutional and democratic way would be adopted against the leaders of the country.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA), Khursheed Shah, has said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been bogged down in the mire of Panama Leaks scandal.

Talking to the media in the Kandhkot area of Kashmore on Saturday, he said that due to the prime minister, the country was going to bog down in the mire of internal and external threats. He claimed that the Panama Leaks allegations were true and the premier was submitting the Qatari prince’s letter to clear his position. He said Nawaz Sharif was taking shelter in the Qatari prince’s statement on the London flats matter.

“The country is facing unstable situation internally,” he added.

“The internal instability is deepening in the country and external threats are looming large in the presence of PM Nawaz Sharif,” he added.

The opposition leader said PM Nawaz Sharif had failed to deliver even on a single pledge he had made with the nation to win the elections.

To a question, Khursheed said Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif would retire on completion of his tenure. He lauded the services of the army chief and said successful anti-terrorism operations like Zarb-e-Azb were started under his supervision. The third party would get benefit of the scuffle between politicians, he added.

He said the allegation of friendly opposition levelled against the PPP for its avoidance to pursue undemocratic traditions is absolutely wrong and baseless. He said that the PPP had always been a supporter of democracy.

He warned that if PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s four demands about accountability of the rulers were not accepted, his party would launch a movement against the government.