ISLAMABAD: A day after PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari lashed out at the PML-N government, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Khurshid Ahmed Shah asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to hold a meeting with the PPP leadership to personally explain his position over alleged victimisation of the party at the hands of investigating agencies.

“Nawaz Sharif is the ruler and constitutional head of the country. All institutions are subordinate to him. He has powers under the constitution. Therefore, he is responsible for whatever is happening with the PPP,” Mr Shah said while talking to reporters at his Parliament House chamber here on Tuesday.

Also read: Nawaz Sharif has reverted to revenge politics of the 90s: Zardari

“Nawaz Sharif should sit with the PPP leadership and explain why only Sindh is being singled out among the four provinces in the name of operation against corruption,” he said.

Without elaborating, Mr Shah appealed to army chief Gen Raheel Sharif and heads of all institutions “to take the system to betterment”. “There will be no institution if there is no country,” he said.

He asked the prime minister to publicly announce withdrawal of terrorism-related charges against the PPP leaders. He said the party had been a victim of terrorism and lost its chairperson Benazir Bhutto and hundreds of workers in terrorist attacks. “As many as 150 PPP workers died in just one incident on October 18 (2007),” he said. “It is shameful to indict the PPP on terrorism charges.”

Mr Shah said that former minister Dr Asim Hussain was being accused of sponsoring terrorism by providing money to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. “Is the MQM about to be declared a terrorist organisation,” he asked.

He recalled that at the time of legislation against terrorism, they (political parties) were assured that the laws would be used only against hardcore terrorists and their financiers. “Today you are seeing a terrorist in the person of Dr Hussain,” he said.

Without naming, the PPP leader alleged that a Punjab minister had openly supported terrorists, but had not been arrested.

Similarly, he said, another Punjab minister was shown in a video demanding money on behalf of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz, but there had been no action against him.

He said that a report of the Transparency International had stated that there was more corruption during Musharraf regime than the PPP government. However, no action has been taken against the former president.

On the other hand, he said, Qasim Zia, former president of the PPP’s Punjab chapter, had been arrested.

Mr Shah asked National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency to probe who were beneficiaries of Rs480 billion paid by the government under the head of circular debt.

Replying a question, he ruled out the possibility of PPP lawmakers’ resignations from the assemblies over alleged victimisation of the party. He said that he would advise the party leadership not to consider the option of quitting the assemblies.

Answering another question, he said that the PPP wanted to see the PML-N government completing its five-year term. “An early end of the government will mean end to democracy in the country as well.”

Mr Shah reiterated his demand for the resignation of members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and criticised their decision not to quit their offices.

He alleged that the ECP members were not resigning because they were getting huge salaries. “Respect is more worthy than Rs900,000 (salary),” he added.

The PPP leader criticised the recent reduction in oil prices and said that the prices had not been decreased in line with the decline in the prices at the international market.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015

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