Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan along with Syed Khurshid Shah, Senator Babar Awan and Qamar Zaman Kaira addresses a joint press conference on Thursday. – Photo by APP

ISLAMABAD: Leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Thusday expressed disappointment over Supreme Court’s directive of appointing a former senior government investigator, Tariq Khosa, to head a commission to probe the “memogate” scandal, DawnNews reported.

It was right of the executive to appoint commission on such issues, Babar Awan said while commenting on the short order, issued by the Supreme Court without considering the Federation’s perspective.

He was addressing a press conference alongwith Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Khurshid Shah and Qamar Zaman Kaira here at PID after briefing an extraordinary meeting of the party leaders including President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani at the Presidency.

Awan said the government would never allow anyone to exercise executive authority or undermine the supremacy of the Parliament.

He said under Article 10-A, the Federation should be given an opportunity to be heard but the order was issued without hearing the Federation and even the former ambassador to Pakistan Hussain Haqqani who had returned to country to clear himself from charges.

“He will be in the country unless exonerated from this charge, and PPP has history of facing charges in the court of law within the Constitutional limits,” he added.

He said the Nawaz Sharif’s petition in memo case was a direct assault on the democracy.

He said it was very unfortunate that effective order was issued in the constitutional petition without issuing notice to the Federation and neither the person against whom the petition was filed.

He said that 17-member bicameral Parliamentary Committee, comprising all parties, was not given an opportunity to investigate the matter.

He said the Nawaz Sharif had once again tried to divide the country by working on Bangladesh (East Pakistan) model.

He blamed Nawaz Sharif for working on the behest of someone else to declare an elected President of the Parliament and provincial assemblies as ‘traitors.’

He said historically PPP had never been given justice or relief and had always been subjected to suppression.

He said Nawaz Sharif’s agenda was not in favour of country, people and democracy but it was only creating divisions in the country.

He said his party had always worked for the welfare of the people of the country and the recent decision of boycotting the Bonn conference was also taken in the best interest and sovereignty of the country after the Nato attack.

Criticizing Nawaz Sharif for not challenging the Oct 12, 1999 coup in the court of law, he said Sharif brothers were always ready to sabotage democracy by moving courts against the democratic decisions.

He said that Nawaz Sharif violated the Charter of Democracy (CoD) which enshrines giving respect to each other’s mandate.

Babar Awan questioned the composition of the bench hearing the memo case, saying certain judges were biased.

Talking on the occasion, the Information Minister Firdous Ashiq awan showed her concerns over ‘protocol’ provided to Nawaz Sharif by the apex court.