ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party-Workers (PPP-W) on Monday demanded across-the-board accountability of all perceived corrupt people in political parties, particularly the PPP, PTI and the PML-N, who wield powers in different provinces.

“We demand the immediate activation of the Supreme Judicial Council which is a proper forum for the accountability of Supreme Court judges,” said Naheed Khan, former political secretary to slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and the PPP-W leader, at a press conference at the National Press Club.

Accompanied by Safdar Abbasi, Ms Khan said the PPP-W appreciated the process of accountability by retired General Raheel Sharif within the armed forces and expected from the current leadership of the armed forces to continue with the same.

Naheed Khan says Supreme Judicial Council should also be activated

She said the PPP-W would field its own candidate in NA-120 Lahore to contest the by-election with a full political force. “Since Mr Zardari has abandoned the PPP of Bhuttos in Punjab and Lahore, we, the workers, own the ideology of Bhutto Shaheed and the philosophy of Benazir Bhutto that this country is not for the elite but for the working class.

She said institutions such as FBR, FIA, NAB and the State Bank of Pakistan needed serious and deep cleansing if we wanted to make Pakistan prosper and flourish.

She said workers regardless of their political affiliations were concerned about the situation in the country but felt that politicians themselves were responsible for the mess.

“There is a mafia who has pushed all of us to a situation where unfortunately the credibility of politicians is at stake and there is a serious crisis of national leadership to cope with the situation,” she said.

Speaking on the occasion, Safdar Abbasi said the PPP-W would also stage sit-ins in Islamabad and all the provincial headquarters and divisional headquarters against corruption and issues of public concerns particularly education, employment and healthcare.

He said unemployment and poverty were disturbing the new generation who found a rescue in extremism.

He said a campaign against corruption was possible if we concentrate on reforms in the governing system by holding everyone accountable.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2017