Shehbaz, Bilawal join hands against govt

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and President PML-N Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the opposition parties in Parliament are united and would join hands in Parliament to fight against inflation, NAB ordinance and planned rigging in the next election in the name of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

“It is a good omen that all the opposition is united in Parliament on the issue of people, whether it is inflation or something else, and political victimisation that is taking place in the name of accountability,” he said while talking with the newsmen along with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Maulana Asad Mehmood of the JUIF, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of the ANP, Moshin Dawar and Opposition Leader in the Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani after the meeting of the combined opposition. It was held in the chamber of the opposition leader in the National Assembly at the Parliament House after the in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of National Security.

The meeting of the combined opposition, chaired by Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, decided on a strategy to give tough time to the government inside and outside Parliament. Shehbaz Sharif said that the opposition would use all legal and political means to thwart the government conspiracy. “The government wants to steal the elections through EVMs,” he said.

Shehbaz Sharif said Imran Khan wanted to give an NRO to his people by repeatedly amending the NAB Ordinance and the opposition would block his way.

He said another meeting of the opposition would be held today (Tuesday) evening in which all the MNAs and senators of the opposition parties will be present to formulate the next strategy of the opposition.

Shehbaz Sharif refused to give answers with regard to in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security saying that it was in-camera and he would not make any comment on it.

To another question, he said it was not surprising that prime minister never come in the meetings either it be meetings of national security, sugar, or be it LNG fraud, Malam Jabba scam or any other meeting.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the entire opposition is united against the government on the issue of price hike. “Since the agreement with the IMF, people are crushed under price hike,” he said.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the efforts of the government to steal the votes through electronic voting machines and political victimisation through the NAB ordinance are apparent. “We will raise a joint voice for the people in Parliament and will defeat the conspiracy of rigging in elections and political victimisation,’ he said.

JUI-F parliamentary leader said that the opposition in Parliament stands with the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and will jointly struggle for the rights of the people of Pakistan inside and outside Parliament.

He said the seat of Prime Minister Imran Khan was vacant during the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security while the opposition is shouldering its national responsibility in this regard. “The prime minister is just trying to save his seat,” he said.

He said the inflation has risen so much that people are starving and opposition will jointly make government accountable in Parliament.

Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of the ANP said the opposition in Parliament will be more effective. He said whoever said he would not give NRO, then he gave NRO. “An attempt is being made to steal the election through EVMs,” he said.

He said that the biggest problem of the people right now is inflation, he said. Ameer haider khan said the government is attacking the Election Commission of Pakistan and forcing tit to come under pressure.

Moshin Dawar said that Parliament has been paralysed as Parliament is not even allowed to debate. “The government also finds it difficult to defend its policies,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e- Islami (JI) ameer Sirajul Haq said the incumbent government was giving itself NRO by not coming into action to hold investigations into Pandora Papers scandal.

Talking to newsmen after filing an application with the Supreme Court to order investigation into Pandora Papers, the JI ameer said the action was taken only against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Panama Leaks issue and that he (Nawaz Sharif) too was ousted on the basis of Iqama.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan’s claims to strengthen accountability system proved pack of lies. We do not have any faith on the Prime Minister Cell formed to investigate into the Pandora Papers scandal,” he said, adding only the Supreme Court could provide justice to the poor Pakistanis.

He said the names of the members of the three parties (the PTI, the PMLN and the PPP) were mentioned in the two leaks besides the owners of shell companies were bureaucrats, former judges and businessmen.

Sirajul Haq said the billions of rupees of taxpayers and poor nation were being stolen by the ruling elite which was so powerful that it considered itself above of any law in the country.

Pakistani elite was at number five on the world list which purchased expensive properties in London and other European countries while people of Pakistan were starving to death, said the JI chief.

“We had knocked the door of the Supreme Court when Panama Leaks were surfaced and now, we again requested the top court to set a strong and independent system of accountability in the country.”

The PTI government, he said, was the continuation of the PML-N and the PPP regimes and they were all sides of the same coin, serving their self-interests and having nothing to do with the masses.