NAB references: Supervision by SC judge against Constitution, says Hashmi

MULTAN:  Senior politician Javed Hashmi said on Wednesday the appointment of a Supreme Court judge to supervise the NAB references is unconstitutional. Addressing a press conference here, he said the NAB judge would not be able to do justice while being monitored. 

He said it is the responsibility of the civil society to join hands together to save the country from judicial martial law, adding there is no room in the Constitution to allow a court to supervise a subordinate court. Hashmi also appealed to the Supreme Court to save the country and the Constitution. He said efforts are being made to introduce quite a new form of government work under the supervision of judiciary. 

Dozens of Pakistan Tehreek Insaf workers attempted to attack Hashmi when he was going to start his press conference at the Press Club. The PTI workers chanted slogans against Hashmi.  When Hashmi came out of the Press Club, the crowd encircled him while police watched as a silent spectator. Some members of public, however, interrupted and saved Javed Hashmi from the crowd.

Earlier, talking to a delegation of Saraiki nationalists at his residence, Hashmi said the first priority of PTI Chairman Imran Khan is to build his own status and make money. Hashmi said that Imran was just fighting for his own vested interests instead of struggling for democracy. He said PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been in trouble in the party and facing isolation and is facing disgrace daily in the party. At PTI's last thanksgiving meeting in Islamabad, the organisers did not place a chair for Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the stage. When Shah Mehmood Qureshi arrived in the meeting, he occupied PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s chair. Later, the organisers placed a chair for Shah Mehmood Qureshi, he added.  

Hashmi said that Imran Khan was patronising horse-trading in his party. This was revealed when PTI ticket holder from Lahore Aleem Khan was distributing heavy cash among different groups to win his election. He said he opposed Imran Khan on encouraging horse-trading culture that would create trouble for the Lahore PTI leader Abdur Rashid in capturing slot from Lahore but Imran Khan didn't listen. 

“A senior PML-N leader phoned me and thanked for adopting a bold stance. I told him I don't need thanks because I am doing so for the betterment of the system, not PML-N. The PML-N did not pay me thanks when I was in jail and kept the party intact when the PML-N leadership including Nawaz Sharif was in exile,” he said. 

Hashmi held agencies responsible for his defeat in NA-149 by-poll. “The agency also approached former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani for my defeat. Gillani demanded victory for the PPP candidate. They refused saying PPP and Hashmi have no room for victory in the by-poll,” adding some PML-N leaders from Multan walled city also played a role in his defeat. 

Hashmi refused to comment on Aisha Gullalai’s allegations against Imran Khan.  He also opposed creation of fifth province in the name of ‘Saraiki’, rather more provinces should be created purely on administrative grounds. Those demanding Saraiki province were weakening the case of creation of fifth province. He said a large number of non-Saraikis are settled in Bahawalpur and other districts and they would not accept Saraiki province. “I never supported creation of fifth province in the name of Saraiki. There is a room for fifth province purely on administrative grounds”, he said.