Hashmi warns against those creating instability

ISLAMABAD: Veteran politician Javed Hashmi Monday criticised those who he alleged were playing in the hands of elements wanting to see instability in the country.

Addressing a press conference here at the National Press Club, he said many foreign powers, including the US and India, had opened fronts against Pakistan and they wanted to see political stability. “The Musharraf era has been the worst from point of view of corruption,” he said.

He said like other politicians Nawaz Sharif too committed mistakes but the Supreme Court decision was not based on justice. “It is my lawful and constitutional right to comment on the Supreme Court verdict,” he said.

Hashmi recalled that in 1977 general elections, he contested from the area which was now part of NA-120 but then Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were unknown personalities.

Coming down hard on the PTI Chairman Imran Hashmi, Hashmi said he used to tell him that he (Hashmi) lacked wisdom in this age. “Imran is just one year younger to me and he should tell as to what he thinks about himself,” he said. Hashmi said he was against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto because he broke the Constitution and imprisoned politicians. 

“But I never distributed sweets when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged,” he said. Hashmi said the nation had suffered defeats on many occasions.  “We suffered defeats in 1965 and Kargil wars while General Yahya Khan’s acts resulted in separation of East Pakistan in 1971,” he said. The PML-N leader pointed out that all the four provinces were facing many problems.

“All the four provinces need to address these problems jointly and find solutions,” he said. He said Shaikh Rashid had been a ‘Darbari’ style politician and used to beg for ministry from General Ziaul Haq.  “This is a fact which Shaikh Rashid will also not deny,” he said.