Minister denies giving clean chit to Shahbaz in laptop case

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun has said his department had presented facts about the laptop scheme during the question-hour in the Punjab Assembly but it was presented by the media out of context.

While addressing a press conference at DGPR here on Thursday, Raja Yasir Humayun denied giving clean chit to former Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif in the laptop scheme by the incumbent Punjab government.

The minister said it was clearly mentioned in the answers presented on the floor of the assembly that NAB was investigating the laptop scam case. He said irregularities could be investigated at the departmental level but complicated corruption cases were difficult to investigate by the department. He added it was the duty of the investigation agencies to probe the matter. “NAB has the authority to declare anyone culprit or innocent,” he said and added NAB would determine whether the accusation was right or wrong.

Answering to a question about the revival of student unions, the minister said brutality could not be allowed in the name of student politics. He said a committee had been formed to analyse the mechanism for revival of student unions and added the government would only take any decision on student unions after getting recommendations from the committee. The minister said a law would soon be passed in the assembly to launch action against unregistered and unauthorised universities in the province.

Chief Minister’s Spokesman Dr Shahbaz Gill, while replying to questions, said that the government was providing best medical treatment to Nawaz Sharif. Thousands of Pakistanis are getting treatment from PIC in Lahore and Rawalpindi. Nawaz Sharif should trust Pakistani doctors, he added.