ISLAMABAD: While rejecting the report about the May 22 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash, presented by Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan in the National Assembly, Pakistan Peoples Party demanded the prime minister and aviation minister’s resignation.

PPP Information Secretary Dr Nafisa Shah, Palwasha Khan and Senator Rubina Khalid said that the report should have gone to the committee first and then to the house. “The pilot has been accused and licences of pilots have been suspected; the person whose own degree is suspected is now talking about pilots’ degrees,” they said.

Dr Shah said: “97 people died in the crash but neither the prime minister nor the minister resigned from office. During his time in opposition, PM Khan used to ask ministers to resign over crash or train incidents while giving examples of Europe, Korea and China but he has double standards. He visited Larkana and instead of meeting people, enjoyed food and then upon returning to Islamabad, appointed Aqeel Tareen as sports board member.”

According to Ms Khan, threatening messages were being sent to Justice Qazi Faez Isa, while he was fighting for justice along with his wife. “Every sector is suffering because of incapability and inefficiency of the government,” she added.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2020