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Opposition gives mixed reaction over Speaker’s arrest

By Our Correspondent
February 21, 2019

KARACHI: The Opposition political parties in the Sindh Assembly have given a mixed reaction to the arrest of the Sindh Assembly’s speaker Agha Siraj Durrani by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi on Wednesday.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Karachi President, Khurram Sher Zaman said Durrani should resign on moral grounds from speakership after his arrest. “NAB has arrested Durrani, Zardari's closest aide, because of assets beyond his known sources of income,“ he said. “We hope that if the NAB has initiated this process, there will be solid proof. The NAB should also investigate the billions of rupees of corruption in the uplift funds for the province. We can also push for disqualification of Durrani.” Zaman stated, the PTI MPA added, “We are surprised to see the PPP leadership condemning the arrest of their corrupt speaker. It is regretful that the Advisor to CM Sindh is condemning the NAB action. There are proofs of assets made from shadowy means by a number of PPP leaders. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari should remove this Speaker of Sindh Assembly.” Zaman said all the local bodies’ ministers who ruled Sindh in the past are on the NAB radar now. Corruption will seriously harm Pakistan and accountability is therefore a must for all. The CM Sindh and other PPP leaders are also wanted by the NAB,” said Zaman.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan issued a very cautious statement regarding the arrest of Durrani, saying the party is in favour on impartial probe. “Durrani should be given full opportunity to defend himself in the case,” the MQM-P said in a statement. The MQM-P said they believe in providing cheap and quick justice in a transparent, impartial, non-discriminatory fashion.

Expressing her reaction, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, a Sindh MPA from the Grand Democratic Alliance, said people wanted to know who took the money and they want it back. “When people see such a massive lift in someone’s lifestyle, they do question as to what has happened suddenly. We had heard about the cases against him but nothing had happened in the past,” said Abbasi, who is a leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional. “We are looking towards NAB to bring justice to those responsible for the billions gone missing from the Sindh’s treasury.”