'Azmat must recuse or be ready to face facts': Broadsheet is fraudsheet, says Maryam

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday once again called upon Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed to recuse himself from the commission to probe the Broadsheet scandal, warning that her party would otherwise reveal details about his past affiliations.

Talking to media on Wednesday after meeting the Khokhar brothers at their house, Maryam advised Justice Azmat Saeed (retd) to step down as the head of an inquiry committee probing the Broadsheet scandal. The PTI government will not succeed in dividing the opposition parties, she clarified.

She said the PTI is a one-man show and that the scandals of the incumbent government’s corruption are being exposed. Every political party in the PDM has its own mandate and agenda. It is an alliance of opposition parties to run a campaign against the PTI government. Those who have occupied the PM House and Pakistan are the biggest mafias, she added.

To a question, Maryam said discussion will be carried out during the PDM session on no-confidence motion against the premier. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will put forward his suggestions in the meeting, she added.

She further said the PTI government won’t be able to complete its five years tenure due to its ineffective policies and incompetent leaders. She also condemned the act of demolishing parts of Khokhar Palace in Lahore’s Johar Town and claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan was personally monitoring this operation of demolishing properties belonging to the family of PML-N leaders MNA Malik Muhammad Afzal Khokhar and former MPA Malik Saiful Malook Khokhar.

“I have come to know that this person whose name is Imran Khan personally sat down and was monitoring the operation,” Maryam alleged, saying this measure had come after attempts to pressurise the Khokhar brothers and holders of political office in the PML-N failed.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Wednesday rejected the one-man inquiry commission headed by Justice (R) Azmat Saeed probing the Broadsheet issue.

“The PPP rejects the commission of Justice Azmat Saeed, as transparent inquiry is not possible under the person who had already served as deputy prosecutor general of the NAB when the agreement with broadsheet was being signed,” said Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla, PPP Information Secretary Shazia Marri and Media Coordinator Nazir Dhoki while addressing a press conference here.

Shazia Marri said the appointment of Justice (R) Azmat Saeed is a clash of interest as he remained the deputy prosecutor of NAB. She said the report of Transparency International is about to release and it was worrying fact that the country may go to worst position.

Shazia Marri said the PPP has also rejected the federal government committee constituted on population census as the Sindh government was not taken into confidence on it. “The committee has not made any contact with the Sindh government,” she said.

Shazia Marri said that the government has increased power tariff about 15 times since it has been imposed on the people of Pakistan. She said that the government has succumbed before the IMF and accepted its every condition.

To a question, the PPP leader said the decision of moving no-confidence motion will be taken at the PDM meeting. “Whatever happened during the no-confidence motion against the chairman Senate was regrettable and all those who were involved in it will regret over it,” she said.

Saleem Mandviwalla said the PPP has submitted its response in the Election Commission and there is no foreign funding for the party. “Now there is no case of foreign funding against the PPP,” he said.

He alleged that the NAB was involved in dealing with exporters and making deals with housing societies. “I had never said that NAB should not take on those who were involved in corruption, but if the NAB starts interfering in private businesses then the situation will go worse,” he said. Mandviwalla said it was a mistake of the PPP and PML-N that they failed to reform the NAB.