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ISLAMABAD: Speaking immediately after PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif’s address at a public meeting in Faisalabad on Sunday, PPP leader Babar Awan said he smelled a threat of civil war in the language used by the former prime minister when he expressed his intention of ‘reaching Islamabad’.
Senator Awan said the people from Punjab were always welcome in Islamabad but they should not forget that people from Sindh and other areas could also reach Lahore.
He advised Mr Sharif to refrain from threatening democratic forces.
He alleged that Mr Sharif had used the tone for military dictator Ziaul Haq against PPP’s founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his speech was tantamount to putting on trial the graves of the late PPP leaders.
Mr Awan alleged that the PML-N was trying to drag the judiciary into politics and said the opposition party should avoid playing hide and seek.
He said accountability should be started from the cases of yellow cab, Ashiana Housing and ‘susta tandoor’ schemes.
The PML-N leader should offer an explanation to the people about billions of rupees collected under the ‘Qarz utaro, mulk sanwaro scheme’ and by freezing foreign currency accounts.
He said Punjab ranked number one in organised crime, but PML-N leaders insisted on setting up inquiry commissions even on minor incidents in other areas.
He said the PML-N leaders were falsely claiming the credit for the country’s nuclear programme founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Mr Awan accused the PML-N of using the government machinery for its meeting and alleged that a large number of officials of the revenue, irrigation and health departments and sanitary workers were among the people at the meeting.
He said the Senate polls would be held in mid-March next year and the PPP would hold general elections in March 2013.
Mr Awan said there was no chance of mid-term elections because their time had passed and those eager to resign from the assemblies should go ahead as the Election Commission would hold by-polls for the vacated seats in accordance with the Constitution.
He also criticised PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan without naming him and said those who were hiding ‘under the bed’ during the dictatorship when their leader was forced to leave the country were now attacking the democratic government.
