Neither sought help from PPP nor contacted Zardari: Shahbaz

ISLAMABAD: Opposition leader in the National Assembly and President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahbaz Sharif Wednesday once again dispel the impression of difference of policy approach between him and ex-prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and said Nawaz Sharif is a Quaid of the PML-N.

“I did not want to respond the queries of the difference with Nawaz Sharif as he is my leader and of the party and we follow him as our supreme leader,” he said. He said this while talking to Executive Body of the Parliamentary Reporters Association here Wednesday along with the senior leaders of the PML-N Rana Tanveer Hussain, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

Asked about the reports that Nawaz Sharif sought the help from Asif Ali Zardari, Shahbaz Sharif said there was nothing like that in his knowledge. “The contacts between the opposition parties were being made on the different issue but there was no such thing come in knowledge,” he said. He said that he did not seek help from PPP nor made contact with Asif Ali Zardari to get support on different issues.

Asked about his opinion on the accountability process, Shahbaz Sharif said if the accountability be conducted as per rules of justice then we will support it but if the efforts to impose accountability of choice then we will resist it.

Shahbaz Sharif said if there was any difference of opinion within the party it only discussed at the party level but the decision was made through the majority opinion. “It was essence of the democracy that there was a difference of opinion but it did not being leveled as differences,” he said.

He said the PTI government has dropped a price hike bomb on the people of Pakistan after coming into power. The PML-N president said the PML-N and other opposition parties wanted to go together in the Parliament. “Though it seems divided in the elections of the prime minister and president yet still wanted to remain together and united in the Parliament,” he said.

He said the difference of opinion among the political parties is essence of the democracy but continue to make effort that the opposition should have a joint stance on the matter of the policies of external, internal, economic and matters of the national security.

Shahbaz Sharif dispels the impression of soft and friendly opposition. “We are not soft or friendly opposition but serious and genuine,” he said.

In a reply to a question, Shahbaz said he would himself head the Public Accounts Committee in order to continue the parliamentary traditions.

In a reply to another question, he said there was a role of all the state institutions mentioned in the Constitution and wanted that all the state institutions should work under their constitutional ambit. “We wanted a better working relationship among the state institutions under their constitutional ambit,” he said.

Shahbaz said it was premature to comment on the efforts for roll-back of the 18th Amendment. Replying another question with regard to PTI government’s move to auction the government vehicles, he said during his tenure, the Punjab government has auctioned over 500 vehicles without making drum beating.

Asked about the possibilities of the no-confidence motion against the prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif said though bringing a no-confidence motion is a parliamentary tool yet the environment is not conducive for it. “It is premature to discuss the possibilities of bringing no-confidence against the government at this stage,” he said.

To a question with regard impression of deal on the suspension of conviction of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the opposition leader rejected the notion of deal completely, saying that it was strange when accountability court convicted Nawaz Sharif, it was not a deal but when the high court suspended the conviction, it was dubbed a deal.

In a reply to yet another question with regard to PTI government decision of special audit of Metro projects, Shahbaz Sharif said he had no objection if the government wanted to carry out accountability of special audit but Peshawar Metro project should also be audited.

Replying another question, he said the PTI has stolen the mandate of the people but they had formed the government now they should resolve the problems of the people.

To another question, he said the bureaucracy was serving the country and if they targeted on personal liking and disliking then the government would also face difficulties.

In a reply to yet another question with regard to PML-N failure to form the government in Punjab, former chief minister said the market of purchase was installed in Punjab and everyone sees how the money and plane were used for this purpose. “We did not want to indulge in buy and sale business,” he said.