Treason case against Nawaz, others: PML-N reacts strongly

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership Monday strongly reacted over registration of cases against party supremo Nawaz Sharif and others under treason and other charges.

They said treason and rebellion case was the last card of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government against the opposition leadership. Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said such tactics would not work and if talking about supremacy of the Constitution was rebellion, "there will be rebellion every day in Pakistan”.

“If talking about the suspension of [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor] CPEC [activities] is treason, then there will be treason every day,” he added. Abbasi said when there was nothing left for those in power to target someone with, a treason case was registered against them.

Opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif and opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz also strongly condemned registration of the treason case against Nawaz Sharif. Shahbaz, in a brief talk with the media during his appearance in the court, said the move showed the mental health of the incumbent government.

Hamza Shahbaz said it was an irony that a person who made Pakistan an atomic power had been charged with treason. Separately, talking with the media, PML-N Punjab leaders – Azma Bukhari and Ataullah Tarar – said that in the country where Fatima Jinnah was declared a traitor, the treason cases were medals for them.

They said at the behest of Shahzad Akbar, basic rights of Shahbaz Sharif were not being given to him by NAB. Shahbaz Sharif was being harassed in the NAB cell, they said, adding that Shahbaz Sharif was suffering from backache.

Azma said that in the past, the PML-N government did not term anyone traitor for holding rallies and dharnas as well as speaking against the government. She said that for the past five years, foreign funding case against Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was pending with the Election Commission.

She alleged that the government had no courage to face the PML-N politically and that was why they opted for such cheap moves. She said Nawaz Sharif was a true patriot and had the backing of 220 million people of Pakistan.

Ataullah Tarar alleged that Jahangir Tareen and other PTI leaders involved in sugar and flour scandals were given an NRO [secret deal] by the PTI government. Shahzad Akbar would not be allowed to flee Pakistan, he said, adding NAB-Niazi nexus would end soon.

He challenged Shahbaz Gill for an open debate and said that he would not accept the challenge because he had nothing in his pocket. He said that he had to prove the allegation of Indian agents meeting Maryam Nawaz. He said if Gill did not withdraw the allegations, the PML-N would besiege his house besides exploring legal options.

Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab chapter strongly condemned registration of cases against political leadership and workers by the government.

PPP Central Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira, while commenting on registration of cases against Nawaz Sharif and his political workers, said that the act reflected the frustration of the government after the setting up of PDM. He said that political workers were not afraid of treason cases as they were in fact “medals” for them and warned the government to realise that its position had become very fragile.

Kaira said rulers could not escape people’s wrath and its frustration over the gathering of the opposition on a single platform was quite visible. He said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would address public gatherings in all major cities of Punjab.