ISLAMABAD: Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Sindh minister for works and services, has alleged that the former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) did not treat leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) fairly and with justice.

“We hold courts in the highest esteem and believe that courts will provide justice to us — but the former CJP was not fair with us,” Mr Shah said while addressing a media talk here on Friday.

Without naming former CJP Mian Saqib Nisar, the Sindh minister said: “His remarks in the court were different from the court decision regarding PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.” He said in a sarcastic tone: “Maybe someone else wrote the decision.”

Mr Shah had just returned from Bajaur where he went to condole with the families of three labourers who were murdered in Larkana recently. He was accompanied by PPP leader Nazeer Dhoki.

He said an initial grant of Rs500,000 had been given to the family of each slain labourer, adding that the Sindh government would announce a compensation package for the grieving families soon.

The Sindh minister claimed that the cases against PPP leaders were baseless. All matters related to these cases belonged to Karachi, but the former CJP ruled that trials of former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister and others would be held in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, he added. He claimed that all these cases and the report of the joint investigation team were being used for a smear campaign against the PPP leadership.

Mr Shah clarified that Mr Zardari and his sister were owners of sugar mills and all financial transactions being used in these cases were related to their sugar mills. The allegations of money laundering against them were baseless, he added.

Answering a question about the performance of the Sindh police, the minister expressed confidence in the police department and said the law and order situation in Sindh had improved significantly.

Mr Shah responded angrily when asked about reported moves by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to dislodge the PPP government in Sindh.

“The only government that is stable and sound in the country is the PPP government in Sindh and those trying to create disturbance in its work will fail,” the minister said, adding he believed that such moves were initiated in a bid to divert people’s attention from real issues.

The Sindh minister said when the PTI was asked to fulfil promises it made with the country’s people before the election, its leaders raised some non-issues, such as “NRO will not be given to anyone”.

“My question is who is seeking an NRO from the government and does Prime Minister Imran has the power to give an NRO to anyone,” he added. Mr Shah said the incumbent federal government was expert only in making u-turns.

He said the PPP would resist any move against the status of the 18th Amendment.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2019