PML-N backs Nawaz narrative, says Suleman

LONDON: Former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif’s son Suleman Shahbaz Thursday reiterated Nawaz Sharif's narrative of civilian supremacy and called for the rule of law in Pakistan.

Speaking to the media outside Hasan Nawaz's office in Stanhope House, he said: "Nawaz Sharif's narrative is the narrative of civilian and constitutional supremacy. Nawaz Sharif's narrative is that institutions should work according to the roles defined by the Constitution of Pakistan.

"Is it not the narrative of every Pakistani citizen? This is our narrative as well."

Suleman rubbished claims that he had transferred over Rs20 billion illegally through different transactions. He said not a penny worth of corruption had been proven against him or his family including Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz despite investigations going on for two years. "Because Imran Khan is selected and incompetent; he involves institutions in politics to hide his own incompetence.

“The Pakistan Army is sacred for us all, but when they are involved in politics, problems will arise," Suleman said.

Commenting on the defamation case Shahbaz Sharif had filed against the Daily Mail in the UK courts, Suleman said that the Daily Mail had not yet filed their defence in the courts.

Suleman also condemned the media suppression and held that the problems of Pakistan would not disappear with the subjugation of the media and that history was a witness to the fact.

Criticising arrest of Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar, Suleman said, "The IGP was kidnapped in a blatant attack by the federation in the province of Sindh. I think this has significantly demoralised the police".

Suleman held that his father Shahbaz Sharif and brother Hamza Shahbaz were in high spirits and would not be deterred by arrests. Commenting on former Director General FIA Bashir Memon's allegations against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Suleman demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan to form a 'Truth Commission' in which both Bashir Memon and Imran Khan should be called to give their version and the matter should be investigated. Recently, it was reported that Pakistan's leader of the opposition, Shahbaz Sharif was suffering from back pain and was not allowed to have access to a chair with back support by the authorities in Pakistan.

Commenting on the treatment meted out to his father, Suleman Shahbaz said, "Imran Khan knows nothing about statecraft. Two days ago, he went to Lahore and proved that he knows nothing about governance. Imran Khan only wants to harass and arrest his opponents. He doesn't have the guts to contest his opponents in the political realm, but we will not be deterred by these tactics.”

Recently, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Barrister Shehzad Akbar alleged that he had “Evidence of systematic money laundering” of around Rs22 billion through ‘benamidar’ accounts, operated by Shahbaz Sharif and Suleman Shahbaz.

Suleman said the former DG FIA Bashir Memon recently exposed how PM Imran Khan summoned him to a meeting and asked him to level cooked up charges against the Sharif family members. He said justice under Imran Khan administration was not possible and Bashir Memon has exposed the charade of so-called accountability.