Govt aims to detach Nawaz’s name from CPEC, claims Saad

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N leader and former minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique while terming CPEC a great economic project alleged that the present government was wreaking havoc with it because the same was started during the Nawaz government.

Addressing a press conference at Lahore Press Club here on Friday, he said the present government was busy as to how to detach the name of former prime minister from the project. "I fear the government might not detach itself from CPEC while trying to detach Nawaz Sharif," he added. He said the kind of damage the government was causing to CPEC was not even caused by India.

He said Imran Khan took U-turn on whatever he had said and added U-turn had become his brand name. Saad Rafique said those claiming to smash the 'begging bowl' were carrying the same everywhere in the world and except for Saudi Arabia no one dropped a penny in the begging bowl. He added the incumbent government had also embarrassed the nation on the diplomatic front. He said there was a time when PM of India came to Pakistan on bus. Referring to Kartarpur Corridor, he said today the incumbent government was begging (for relationship) while India had turned a deaf ear.

The former federal minister, who was flanked by his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique, a former provincial minister, said that in the name of democracy there was civil dictatorship in the country and added the incumbent government was itself not sure whether it would complete its tenure or not. He said it was the first government which within its first 100 days was talking about mid-term elections.

Coming hard on the incumbent government he said whenever decision of the people was not accepted it resulted into puppet (tot batot) rulers.

Saad Rafique said the PML-N leaders were being sent behind bars and being pressurised to be silent and added however they would not remain silent. He said if the party came out on roads for protests, they (the rulers) would not be in power. He termed the first 100 days of the PTI government full of lies saying they claimed not to avail protocol but everyone in the government was enjoying protocol. He said it was strange that the PM was unaware of dollar hike while the stock market crash was a regular feature now. He said Imran Khan should now get down from the container (politics). He said this political tug-of-war could lead to derailment of democracy.

He said if NAB wanted to terrify us to ensure silence but this was not acceptable. He said those who remained silent were good boys while those who did not were the bad boys. He said we were not among those going on back foot and added we would remain on front foot.

He alleged that Qaiser Amin Butt was pressurised to become approver and when he refused warrants were issued and added he was pressurised to give statement against him by calling in the NAB office. He said for a year and a half no evidence was found against him and his brother.

Meanwhile, Punjab Assembly Leader of the Opposition and PML-N central leader Hamza Shahbaz has said ideological workers are real asset of the party.

Talking to party workers on Friday, he came hard on the government for ordering baton charge on PML-N supporters during appearance of Shahbaz Sharif before the accountability court on Thursday and paid tributes to those injured due to the baton charge. He demanded investigation into the incident. He hoped action would be taken against those police officials who ordered baton charge.

Hamza further said PML-N would come in front with more power adding sacrifices of the party workers for strengthening of democracy could never be forgotten. He said the crops that were sown through the seeds of lies were falling apart and truth was becoming a reality.