84 MNAs are guarantors of Nawaz Sharif: Asif

ISLAMABAD: The PML-N and PPP on floor of the National Assembly on Thursday asked the PTI government to stop playing with health of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif and allow him leave for abroad for treatment without seeking indemnity bond of over Rs7 billion.

“I myself, my party’s 84 parliamentarians sitting in this House and millions of workers who have been with Nawaz Sharif for decades can give guarantee that he will return to the country after his medical treatment,” Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the PML-N parliamentary leader said while speaking on a point of order.

Advising the government to refrain from using its power and authority for the sake of political interests, the PML-N leader said the rulers had conditioned surety bond with permission to Nawaz Sharif to leave the country to humiliate him.

“The government will use this piece of paper for political interests that it had taken guarantee from him,” he said.

He said not only the PML-N members, but he speaker who is custodian of the House should also give guarantee that Nawaz Sharif would return to the country after his treatment.

Khawaja Asif said Nawaz Sharif did not compromise on Constitution and his narrative of ‘Vote Ko Izzat Do’ when he is in fight for death and life.

“Nawaz Sharif did not want to go abroad but the doctors said they are capable of his treatment but there is no technology and facility under one roof where treatment of multiple diseases is possible,” he said.

Khawaja Asif said he had respect for Law Minister Farogh Naseem, but he should give same arguments in case of Nawaz Sharif which he gave in case of Pervez Musharraf. “I will request him to behave as per principles and do not change his opinion according to prevailing environment and weather,” he said.

Asking the government not to make Nawaz Sharif as trump card, the PML-N leader said not only the party’s parliamentarians are guarantors of his return to the country but the workers would also bring him back.

The PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf asked the government to allow Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for treatment. He criticised the government for not allowing to shift ex-president Asif Zardari to hospital for his treatment.

“Asif Zardari is not convinced to apply for bail but he is required to be shifted to hospital because of multiple issues with his health,” he said, questioning as to how an ailing person could be investigated.

Meanwhile, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed on Thursday said that the federal cabinet took collective decision to allow Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to leave for abroad for medical treatment on submission of an indemnity bond.”It is collective decision of the federal cabinet that former prime minister submit indemnity bond and leave for abroad, and I also own the same decision,” Murad Saeed said while responding points raised by the PML-N leader Khawaja Asif.

He alleged that it was leadership of the PML-N which was doing politics on the health of Nawaz Sharif and on the other hand he said the Prime Minister has stopped the cabinet members from issuing any negative statement on the health of Nawaz Sharif.

He advised the PML-N leadership that they should not compromise on health of the former prime minister, and they should focus on his health instead of saving money and his property.