LAHORE: As the federal government is seeking help from various political forces to tame Imran Khan and bring down political temperature, some hawks in the Punjab government of the PML-N are adding fuel to the fire by accusing the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf of trying to cover up its failures in governing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through the long march.

“…Tehreek-i-Insaf leadership wants to cover up the failure and poor performance of its government in KP under the garb of protest,” a statement issued on behalf of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif quoted him as telling trade minister Khurram Dastgir on Thursday.

“On one hand the leadership and the head of PTI raise slogans of elimination of corruption while on the other they want to launch a movement with the help of those who set world records of corruption during the dictatorship era,” the statement said, in a reference to the PML-Q rule.

Referring to Imran Khan’s refusal to join the Chaudhrys of Gujrat during Musharraf regime branding them the “biggest thieves and dacoits” of the Pakistani politics, Shahbaz wondered the PTI chief was now talking of starting a movement with their (Chaudhrys’) support.

He said ‘ball tampering’ by those crying over so-called poll rigging would not work.

Shahbaz, however, offered an olive branch to the rivals, saying in a democratic setup solution to problems was found through talks and the doors of the government were open for dialogue.

“There is no room for negative activities and confrontation in politics,” he emphasised.

He hoped the masses would reject the elements “creating hurdles in the process of national development”.

The CM said it was not the time for ‘revolution’ or ‘long march’ but for expressing solidarity with the officers and army jawans fighting against terrorism and helping the displaced persons of North Waziristan.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2014