Arch rivals host and guest today: ministers

ISLAMABAD: Ministers and special assistants on Sunday took the opposition leaders to task after a mammoth gathering in Garhi Khuda Bukhsh and said those who claimed to drag their rivals on roads had now become each other’s guests to protect their corruption.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said the opposition had nothing for the people, as they were only interested in pursuing self-serving agenda, which revolved around them only.

In a series of tweets, he said Maryam Nawaz’s visit to Larkana spoke volumes about the historic fact that they were "foes in public and allies in private." “The assembly of these old foes, at the same place in Larkana, has exposed their real faces to people. Those who used to criticise each other in the past and announced dragging each other on the roads of Lahore and Larkana have become each other’s guests now,” he said.

Today, he said, souls of former prime ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto must be suffering as the worst critics of their philosophy and ideology were sitting at their home in Naudero. “Whenever corruption, double standards, horse trading, Changa Manga, chamak and briefcase politics were mentioned in the country, Nawaz Sharif’s name emerged at the top,” he said.

Special Assistant to PM on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said in a series of tweets that if there is some Pakistan-based or global ranking for politics of hypocrisy, the Sharif family would be on top with a clear margin. He said the Sharifs were terming Asif Zardari as thief and robber and at the same time they were making own properties in London and stashing money there.

He said the Sharifs termed Imran Khan as representing Jewish lobby, but themselves sent secret delegations to Israel. He further added that the Sharifs were apparently targeting the Pakistan Army and at the same time sent their messenger Muhammad Zubair for seeking NRO from establishment.

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry while taking a jibe at Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Maryam Nawaz said the premiership is not an internship programme that could be offered to children.

Fawad Chaudhry while addressing a press conference said that Maryam Nawaz has never worked in a kitchen and now she wants to become prime minister without any struggle, while on the other hand, the PPP has become a party of only interior Sindh.

The minister while reacting to Maryam’s criticism on hike in sugar prices said that country is in crisis because of two families as 45 percent of sugar businesses are owned by Sharif and Zardari families.

Fawad Chaudhry said that if Bilawal wants to start long march he should do it against Sindh government and the PTI will also become part of such movement.

The minister also said that PML-N claims to be fighting for democracy in the country, but it does not practice the same in the party as Maryam Nawaz spent her entire life on her father s money. He further said that the movement of opposition alliance has collapsed as there are clear difference between the PML-N and PPP.

The minister also said that Ajmal Qadri’s revelations have exposed the PML-N’s stance over relations with the state of Israel.

Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the time has proved that the decision of not giving any sort of NRO to the plunderers, thieves and corrupt politicians was a right decision by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Talking to media persons in Sialkot, Dr Firdous said that the positive impact of this decision of not giving any NRO was showing good signs toward political stability and was turning helpful in purging Pakistan from the corruption and corrupt elements.

She said that the people of Sindh will bury the negative politics of confrontation by the opposition, as the politically matured people of Punjab had already rejected the PDM agenda.

Dr Firdous said that the fake Rajkumari (Maryam Nawaz) will excuse and render political apology while visiting the grave of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. “Rajkumari was targeting Prime Minister Imran Khan politically for sake of nothing but just to increase her political worth and in a bid to seek NRO,” she said.

Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi said Bilawal and Maryam are spoiled breed children. While talking to media in Sukkur, Shikarpur and Jacobabad, he said he had offered first five members resigning to get five tickets of Umrah, but none showed seriousness. He said that there will be no deal and no one will get NRO.

Meanwhile, addressing a ceremony at Union Council Multaniwala in Multan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the PDM had nothing to do with the masses welfare.

“In the past, those who (PPP and PML-N) made claims of dragging each other on the roads of Lahore and Larkana are now becoming guests of each other, which has exposed their real face,” he said. Qureshi said the PDM lacked unity in its ranks, as Fazlur Rehman had not participated in the Larkana public meeting.

“When will the PDM hand in resignations of its MNAs and MPAs?” he asked. He said the PDM coalition was about to collapse. “Coalitions made for protecting personal interests will not last longer. The PPP and PML-N both have joined hands to save their looted money,” he added.