Govt’s economic policies: PPP decides to launch protest campaign after Ramazan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday decided to make contact with all the opposition parties to launch a protest campaign against the government on its economic policies inside and outside parliament after the month of Ramazan.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari invited the leaders of the opposition parties on iftar dinner on Sunday.

The PPP core committee held its meeting with the chair of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari here at the Zardari House and expressed strong reservations about the interview of National Accountability Bureau Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal to columnist of national Urdu daily and said that the article proved that NAB was used for political victimisation and the NAB chairman is now turns into controversial.

The meeting was attended by former prime ministers --Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf -- Secretary General PPP Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Farhatullah Babar, Senator Abdul Rehman Malik, Syed Naveed Qamar, Chaudhry Manzoor, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Ms Palwasha Khan.

The core committee of the PPP rejected the denial of the contents of interview of NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal and decided to explore all the possible options, including the legal action against the NAB chairman as it was a clear violation of the code of conduct of the NAB’s own code of conduct and clear threats to the leadership of the PPP. “The legal team of the PPP has been assigned to explore all the possible actions, including the legal action against the NAB chairman with seeking his resignation on violation of code of conduct of the NAB,” sources said.

The meeting also thoroughly discussed the political and economic situation of the country and expressed serious reservations about the agreement with the IMF and rise of dollar and declared the government’s economic policies completely failed.

While addressing the press conference after the Core Committee meeting of the PPP, President PPP Central Punjab Qamar Zaman Kaira said the party has decided to launch a strong protest outside and inside parliament on the failed economic policies of the government and rise in price hike. “We have decided to make contacts with all the opposition parties to launch a protest against the government inside and outside parliament and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari invited the leaders of all the opposition parties on iftar on Sunday to discuss the possibilities of launching a joint struggle,” he said.

He said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has invited the leaders of the opposition parties on iftar dinner on Sunday and all the major opposition parties has invited.

Asked from the leadership of the PML-N--Nawaz Sharif in jail and Shahbaz Sharif in London then who will represent, Kaira responded that Maryam Nawaz Sharif could also come as the PML-N gave an assurance of it.

Addressing a press conference along with Secretary General PPP Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, Chaudhry Manzoor and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Qamar zaman Kaira said the column of columnist Javed Chaudhry has read by the nation, and it was proved that the NAB was being used as a tool for the political victimisation. “Why the NAB chairman give this interview and what are objectives behind this,” he posed a question.

He questioned the Chairman NAB that the nation wanted to know which file has been stolen from his residence and whose files the chairman has taken with him on his residence.

He said former President Asif Ali Zardari always appeared before NAB in respect of Law. “There were reports that NAB wanted to arrest Asif Ali Zardari and this interview confirmed that the NAB believes in political vendetta,” he said, adding that we are repeatedly saying that the NAB’s attitude is not with us.

He said NAB did not allow anyone to take his lawyer with him who was summoned for appearance.

Qamar Zaman Kaira said the files also stolen from the houses of the leaders of the PML-N. ‘If the NAB chairman feels that he was not given protection then he could write a letter to the judiciary,” he said.

He said the chairman even made the fun of the health of political leadership in his interview.

Kaira said if there was any contempt of judiciary and Army then the politicians also feel contempt then the wrong allegation levelled against them. “The PPP did not believe in targeting any individual,” he said.

Kaira feared that there were possibilities of increase in the power tariffs and prices of the petrol before the budget, and it will bring the Tsunami of price hike in the country. “The governance is not a child’s play,” he said.

He said the PPP always stood with the people of Tribal Areas, but the procedure was not followed relates to Fata Bill. “We also stood with the wishes of the people of South Punjab for their demand of their province,” he said.

Secretary General PPP Syed Nayyer Hussain said NAB Chairman Justice (R) Javed Iqbal was now controversial after his agreement. “We will not allow anyone to defame the political leadership of the PPP,” he said.

Meanwhile, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari visited residence of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and discussed the present political scenario of the country. Both the leaders also pondered over future strategy of the opposition.