Intra-party crisis shows split in PML-N ranks: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday said Pakistan Muslim League-N was passing through an intra-party crisis, which indicates split in the party ranks.

Talking to the media here, he said the PML-N was bulldozing rulings and verdicts of the Supreme Court by appointing those disqualified by the apex court. The party has appointed Maryam Nawaz Sharif as its vice president, which is a serious violation and negation of the SC orders, he said adding that the PML-N should review its decision.

About the change in chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee, the minister said the PML-N claimed that health issues of Shahbaz Sharif did not allow him to continue as the PAC chairman. “Will his (Shahbaz) health issues allow him to continue as the opposition leader in National Assembly,” he asked the PML-N leadership. The PTI would raise the issue in National Assembly, Qureshi said adding that the PML-N must tell the nation when Shahbaz Sharif would return to the country.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said if the government did not increase petroleum prices, a critical budget deficit was feared. He admitted that prices of daily-use items had shot up in the country.

He rejected rumours about any grouping in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ranks. APP adds: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi rejected criticism by the opposition parties of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) proposed package, saying that the deal was being struck due to wrong policies of the previous governments.

Talking to the media here at Chah Jammu Wala on Sunday, he said that those who were criticising the government over the IMF understanding had themselves availed the IMF packages in the past. He said that PML-N had contacted the IMF after they came to power in 2013. Similarly, the PPP government had also availed the facility during its tenure in 2008.

Then why they were criticising the incumbent government, he asked. The minister said that the incumbent government was availing the IMF package due to 10 years long wrong policies of the previous governments. He rejected an impression that the IMF was interfering in the issue of replacement of ministers.

The minister said a technical committee of the IMF was on a 15-day visit to Pakistan and talks were under way with the government. He said the PML-N had nominated Rana Tanveer as the PAC chairman, on which its ally, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), had objected saying it had not been taken into confidence over the issue.

To a question, Qureshi said prices of petroleum products had been increased due to increase of prices in the international market. However, he added, the petrol price is still low in Pakistan compared with other countries of the region.

To another question, he said special price control committees had been formed by the provincial government to control profiteering, adding that the Punjab government would ensure all steps to facilitate people during the holy month of Ramazan.

He said the government had no differences with ally parties over the Local Governments Act-2019, as Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) senior leader and Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had already rejected these rumours.

To yet another question, he said former finance minister Asad Umar was an asset to the party and would remain so forever. Qureshi said Nawaz Sharif was granted bail by the Supreme Court for his medical treatment; but no major health issues had been reported so far. He hoped that Nawaz Sharif would follow the SC orders regarding cancellation of his bail.