PML-N asks PTI MPs not to vote for Hafeez Shaikh

ISLAMABAD: Campaigning against the minister for finance, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, a senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Muhammad Zubair Friday said the PTI parliamentarians should not vote for a person in Senate elections who has no stakes in Pakistan, who has no commitment with the country and who is keeping his assets abroad. “Giving vote to Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who ruined the country’s economy, would mean to bury ideology of the PTI,” Zubair told a press conference here on Friday.

Responding to a question, the PML-N leader said the PTI leadership still had time to withdraw Abdul Hafeez Shaikh as its candidate and allow Yusuf Raza Gilani to win the seat unopposed.

He said Hafeez Shaikh had been residing outside the country for 40 years and he comes to Pakistan only when national flag is fixed on the official car. “The old workers of PTI should raise questions as to who is Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and from where he was brought,” he added.

He alleged that Asad Umar and others were removed for opposing the IMF programme and instead Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was given portfolio of the finance ministry. “Within 15 days of his appointment, an agreement was reached with the IMF,” he said.

He said it was gift of the IMF package reached with the Fund by Abdul Hafeez Shaikh that masses were suffering from burden of price-hike and economic problems.

He said Imran Khan awarded Senate ticket to Abdul Hafeez Shaikh against whom he himself had ordered an inquiry by constituting the debt commission. He said PM Imran Khan constituted a debt commission to enquire about the debt burden on Pakistan from 2008 to 2013 whereas Abdul Hafeez Shaikh acted as finance minister in the PPP tenure up to 2013.

He pointed out that the PML-N government availed Rs10,500 billion loans in five years, whereas the PTI government availed more loans in two-and-a-half years due to record financial deficit in country's history. "Imran Khan is not hiding a report of the debt commission which he himself constituted," he said.

Zubair reiterated that Abdul Hafeez Shaikh would leave the country as soon as the PTI government is sent packing. “The time for the PTI government is over, and it will be better for Shaikh to get his seat reserved for Washington,” he added.

About Daska elections, the PML-N leader said Imran Khan was totally responsible for what happened in NA-75 bye-elections saying that what happened in Daska was not less than a criminal offence. “There has been no contact between 23 disappeared presiding officers and the Election Commission for 13 hours,” he said.

He said the Punjab chief minister was not genius enough to rig Daska bye-elections and all the responsibility lies with Imran Khan.