LAHORE: Opposition Leader in National Assembly Khursheed Shah says the army has begun accountability from its institution and others should follow suit now.

Speaking at a ceremony here on Thursday, he said: “It is our (politicians) duty to have follow-up of the army accountability. One institution has forwarded (the accountability) ball to our court. Now it’s our turn to act.”

SARWAR: Former governor Chaudhry Sarwar has lauded Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif’s decision of dismissing army officers on corruption charges.

He alleged that corrupt rulers had joined hands with each other to save their skins but would fail in covering up their corruption.

SIRAJ: Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq says the army chief has set an example by acting against the corrupt elements in the armed forces and the rulers should also follow suit by offering themselves for accountability.

Speaking at a ceremony here on Thursday, he said the nation would accept only the inquiry commission headed by the chief justice of Pakistan. He said the talk of a parliamentary commission was simply a time-gaining tactic as such a commission would have no access to the international institutions.

Mr Haq said political parties should weed out the corrupt elements within their ranks and JI offered itself for accountability.

He urged the accountability institutions to abandon the policy of plea bargain and recover the entire amounts from the plunderers. He announced that the JI would stage a big rally against corruption in Peshawar on Saturday (April 23) and in Lahore on Sunday (April 24).

QADRI: Dr Tahirul Qadri has said the system of accountability in civil institutions differs from the one carried out in army, and the process of accountability must continue and everyone, especially politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, should also go through this process.

Talking to the Central Working Committee of the party via video link from Canada, Dr Qadri stated that Gen Raheel has initiated the cleansing process from his own home but the process must not stop here.

PERVAIZ ELAHI: PML-Q senior leader Pervaiz Elahi and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Ali Zafar have fully backed Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif’s action against corruption.

Addressing the Lawyers’ Convention at the Muslim League House here on Thursday, Pervaiz Elahi said: “By starting accountability from his own institution the army chief has proved that he wants corruption-free Pakistan and accountability of all.”

“The PML strongly supports the recommendations of the SCBA for transparent probe into the issue,” he said, adding the Panama Papers had fully exposed the rulers who would face accountability soon.

Ali Zafar said the army chief’s action was highly appreciable.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2016