Dr Asim puts out video to dispel rumours of quitting PPP

Senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Asim Hussain on Friday released a video message on social media in a bid to end speculation around him quitting the PPP.
President of the party’s Karachi Division until recently, Dr Hussain said he completely trusted PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s leadership. “I am a person who believes in federalism as I also believe in the unity of Pakistan. I believe that Pakistan should become stronger,” the former minister said in his message.
“I once again deny that I am going elsewhere and leaving Pakistan Peoples Party. I continue to remain within the party and continue to be extremely loyal to it,” he further added. “I am going abroad for treatment, and God willing I will take part in the party’s politics on my return,” his message further maintained.
This statement was issued amid rumours that Dr Hussain was leaving the PPP to join the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan. The former minister had stepped down from the post of PPP Karachi Division’s president citing his surgery which is to take place abroad.
However, his resignation became the talk of the town as many claimed it was tendered owing to the PPP leadership’s ‘unhappiness’ over his meeting with MQM-P chief, Dr Farooq Sattar.
Ruling reserved on indictment
An accountability court reserved its ruling over the indictment of former petroleum minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Dr Asim Hussain.
The court also reserved its order on his plea seeking for the trial to be abandoned. The fixed December 13 to announce its orders in the corruption reference that alleges Dr Asim along with 12 others committed corruption of over Rs17 billion.
The court, however, granted the PPP leaders’s plea to exempt him from appearing before the court as he was travelling abroad, from November 24 to January 6, for his medical treatment. The court was informed that the apex court as well as a concerned anti-terrorism court (ATC) had both permitted Dr Asim to travel abroad and that there was no need to get a No Objection Certificates since the permission was granted.
The judge also observed that in light of the apex court’s approval, an NOC was not needed. Earlier the judge heard arguments of the attorneys on two applications challenging the trial as well as the process of framing charges in the corruption reference.
The attorneys were of the view that the reference was false and there was no justification to try ad frame charges against their clients. Instead, the attorneys prayed to court to quash the trial as no proof had been presented by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).