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Tuesday March 19, 2024

We’re being drawn to war, says PML-N: This will wrap up the system

By Asim Yasin & Muhammad Anis
December 10, 2019

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif on Monday warned that the system would be wrapped up as the government was bent upon targeting the PML-N’s Quaid’s house in London.

He announced in National Assembly to disengage from efforts being made by the speaker to reach an agreement between the government and opposition benches for smooth running of proceedings of the House.

The PML-N leader made the announcement over attempts to attack Nawaz Sharif’s residence in London. He said that PML-N would no more be part of matters related to legislation on extension in tenure of Chief of Army Staff and appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two ECP members. Speaking on a point of order in the NA, the PML-N leader said they knew well that as to who patronised the ugly incident that happened outside the London house where Nawaz Sharif was staying for the purpose of treatment. “I will tell names of persons who are patronising protests in London and attempted to attack the residence, at an appropriate time,” he said.

Khawaja Asif said for the last few weeks, some efforts led by the National Assembly speaker were being made to smoothly run the proceedings. “Feeling that this is exercise in futility, I announce that we are no more part of it and this cooperation cannot be continued,” he said.

Khawaja Asif said the PML-N has taken the decision requesting other opposition parties to follow suit. Reacting strongly to protest outside the residence of Nawaz Sharif in London, use of abusive language against the leadership and attempts made to attack the House, the PML-N leader said they would also retaliate and are ready to pay in the same coin. “We will retaliate and chase those who are patronising protests in London,” he said.

He said the PTI leaders should not start such traditions where relations in politics reach a point of no return and political opponents become enemies of one another. “They should refrain from breaching privacy and sanctity of houses where ladies are also present,” he said.

He said it should also be remembered that houses of leaders from all the political parties exist in London. “This is start of a dangerous tradition which if continueswill be difficult to stop,” he said adding that they would not forget personalities who have been patronising practice of protests outside the house where Nawaz Sharif is residing.

He also regretted the non-production of four opposition members who were not produced in the House despite the fact that their production orders have been issues.

Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also strongly condemned the incident of attack on residence of Nawaz Sharif saying that such traditions would be harmful to democracy and the system.

Meanwhile, Minister for Communication Murad Saeed while saying that it is not the incumbent government but the leadership of PML-N which has put country’s dignity and respect at stake due to their corruption and money laundering, maintained that the corrupt elements would have to give account of their looted money.

He said that PML-N leaders should not hurl threats at the others regarding attack on their houses. Responding to a point of order from the PML-N parliamentary leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif in the National Assembly on Monday, the Minister said the Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif used the Chief Minister House and Chief Minister Secretariat when he was at helm of affairs of the Punjab province, to hide corruption money and for money laundering.

He asked Khawaja Asif and other PML-N leaders who recently visited London, as to why they did not ask Nawaz Sharif that the flat where they were sitting was not admitted by him as his property in the past. “Instead of advocating corruption of their top leaders and protecting them in the Parliament, the PML-N parliamentarians should raise public issues in the House,” Murad Saeed said adding the past rulers should also be held accountable as to where they spent Rs24000 billion loans.

He said the PML-N leadership raised slogans of ‘Vote Ko Izzat Do’ but then they said ‘Allow us to go abroad. “The PML-N parliamentarians visiting Nawaz Sharif should have also asked him as to why in 35 years, he could not build a single hospital where he could be provided medical treatment,” he said.

Murad Saeed also questioned as to why Shahbaz Sharif did not file a law suit against Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shahzad Akbar and a British journalist against publication of news stories in UK based newspaper.

The Minister for Communication also praised Shahzad Akbar for unearthing a case of securing kickbacks taken from different mega projects and sending the ill-gotten money abroad through money-laundering.

He said that it was Salman Shahbaz who was kickback specialist saying that bulletproof vehicle of Green colour of Police was used to carry and provide security to looted money procured as kickbacks from projects like Multan Metro Bus Project, Clean Water Project and Ashiana Housing Schemes. For this purpose, he said, two persons namely Director Security Nisar Gul and Director Strategy Ahmad Ali were deputed.

He said the money received though kickback was used to be escorted to the Chief Minister House and Chief Minister Secretariat from where the same money was laundered abroad. “Then the laundered money brought to Pakistan again and spend on purchase of houses for wives of Shahbaz Sharif,” he said.

Murad Saeed while pointing his guns towards Khawaja Muhammad Asif said he should be ashamed of having Iqama as ‘Tailor’ when he was serving the country’s Defence Minister.

Regretting attempts made to attack residence of Nawaz Sharif in London, the Minister, however, said the protestors were rightful in raising questions of corruption against the PML-N leadership.

Minister for Economic Affairs, Hamad Azhar said the opposition leaders who used to call an elected Prime Minister as selected Prime Minister, should also not forget selection of General Zia and General Gilani.

Hamad Azhar said the international financial organisations have declared current account as positive and economy as stable which showed success of the PTI government on economic front in the last 15 months.

He said the PML-N parliamentarian who was giving lecture of decency, used indecent language for the Prime Minister and Minister for Communication Murad Saeed (when in opposition) and his family on floor of the House.

He asked the opposition leaders to raise public issues in the National Assembly instead of using the same forum to hide their corruption and giving balance sheet of their companies.

Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Monday that Prime Minister Imran Khan was launching some app so that corrupt people are searched but he was much puzzled that this app could not identify the members of the government.

“What happened to the investigation of their own Panama specialist, what happened to the investigation of your own deputy prime minister, who is disqualified at the moment, when this investigation will take place,” he said while talking with the newsmen after visiting his father ex-president Asif Ali Zardari at PIMS here on Monday along with his sister Aseefa Bhutto Zardari.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said no investigations were made on Peshawar BRT project, scandal of mines in KP and Prime Minister Imran Khan was talking about Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif's corruption. “You sent Nawaz Sharif abroad after his conviction, how you are saying now that you will not let go this one or that one,” he said.

In reply to a question, he said the cases of Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari Sahib are totally different and cannot be compared as Mian sahib was convicted and in jail. Many accusations have been leveled against President Zardari but there is no conviction even then he is in jail. “There is difference between cases of Zardari and Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

He said Asif Ali Zardari has no conviction against him and Mian Sahib despite conviction is abroad.” This was his right that he was facilitated on medical ground, and as our chief justice and others are saying that the decision to send him abroad was of Imran Khan and he took that decision,” he said.

He said Pakistani people have identified Imran Khan well. “They all want to protect their illegitimate government which is a burdened on the poor. You are also burdening the poor, they compromised to protect their illegitimate government and you are doing the same,” he said adding that stop telling lies and start solving peoples' problems.

He said if peoples' problems are solved, their faith on democratic governments will continue to be strengthened. “At this time wherever our people see whether it is economic situation, political situation, foreign policy, Kashmir issue etc, people are worried.” They know that their incapable, selected prime minister does not have the ability to solve these problems,” he said.

PPP chairman said that the people of Pakistan do not want to see this “puppet show’ and they want to see solution to their problems. “Pakistani people do not want a government, which stages a new drama every day,” he said.

In reply to a question with regard to speculation about the Governor’s Rule in Sindh, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said since Imran Khan government has come to power, it has a dream that there should be a puppet chief minister who trade the rights of the people of Sindh province with the center but its every conspiracy was failed. “How many times you have heard that Sindh government is about to be folded. How many times you have heard that our chief minister is going to be arrested but still Sindh government and chief minister are in place,” he said.

He said this weekend he have inaugurated seven mega projects in Sindh. There is no trial against our chief minister.

“In the center, there is a feeble government whereas PPP has historic mandate in Sindh. We have 99 MPAs. After 18th Amendment it is very difficult to remove provincial government democratically,” he said.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was hopeful of getting justice from the court saying that Asif Ali Zardari had informed them that medical board and nominated doctor also met ex-President Zardari and saw his reports, and hoped that soon the medical report, which the court has asked for, will be presented and former president Zardari will get bail on medical ground.

He said Asif Zardari will get the right, which is the right of every Pakistani. “The medical reports were examined by the board of doctors but these have not been furnished in the court and once report are presented, the court will decide Zardari’s bail medical ground, and we will shift Zardari Sahib to

Asked it was being said that a consensus has been reached with regard to the name of Chief Election Commissioner, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the government used every tactics and did every effort not to reach a consensus, drag the process, sabotage Election Commission and opposition wanted to strengthened institutions. “We want to strengthen Election Commission, we want to strengthen Parliament, and we want result of this process and consensus. If ministers are saying that they are agreed with opposition, he assumes that government has agreed on one of the names given by opposition so this will be solved very easily,” he said.

Asked Khawaja Asif has said now in the National Assembly that after attack on Nawaz Sharif's residence in London, there could be no talks with government. The PPP chairman said plainly that he was not taken on board in this regard.

He said that PPP has its own stance and wants that there should be real democracy in country and the PPP wants that neither this “selected prime minister’ will remain prime minister nor any other selected prime minister will come to power. “If other political parties are with us on this point, it is good,” he said.

He said government was using tactics how it can pressurise its opposition, how it can gag its opposition. “Their pressurising tactics are continued but with it our struggle is also continued and will not be silent nor will we retreat,” he said.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said PPP has taken the historic decision to observe Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's martyrdom anniversary at Liaquat Bagh and will challenge this selected government from Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi and will send a message that the people of Pakistan are steadfast in their resolve that all powers belong to the people. “Only PPP can lead this struggle so that we form a democratic, peoples' government and look after the welfare of the people and protect them from poverty and unemployment,” he said.

Asked whether 2019 was hard for PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said it was not at all hard for PPP in 2019, PPP has sacrificed two heads of the party, they have encountered difficulties but these difficulties were nothing if compared with the difficulties being faced by common people, labourers, growers, white collared people, small businessmen, shopkeepers, all of them have faced a very hard time.