Daesh growing in Punjab: Khursheed Shah

Takes notice of ‘irregularities’ in award of CEPC contracts

SUKKUR: Daesh is growing in Punjab, but the silence of the Punjab government over the issue is puzzling.

This was stated by the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, while talking to the media here. He said he wanted the Punjab government to explain “how Daesh is growing in Punjab”.

Khursheed Shah said that a conspiracy was being hatched to fan religious conflicts in Pakistan. He asked Iran and Saudi Arabia to set an example of tolerance, adding that the attack on the Saudi consulate in Iran was not good for regional stability.

Khursheed Shah said tax amnesty offered to filers and non-filers by the Nawaz Sharif government was an attempt to fool the nation. He alleged that it was aimed at facilitating the businessman to whiten their black money.

Khursheed Shah said that he had taken up the Rangers’ issue with the prime minister, but some members in Mian Nawaz Sharif’s government conniving to increase the confrontation between the Federation and the provinces and that they had been misleading Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Our correspondent from Islamabad adds: Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Syed Khursheed Shah Monday took notice of alleged illegalities committed in the award of two China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) contracts in Balochistan.

The notice was taken on reports that of two contracts one was awarded to the second lowest bidder rather than the lowest bidder causing a loss of approximately over Rs650 million to the national exchequer. Khursheed sought a comprehensive report on the matter from the Ministry of Communication within next three working days.