LAHORE: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Saturday that only parliament has the prerogative to decide on the restoration of Nato supplies and no individual could take decision on the matter.

Speaking to media representatives at Allama Iqbal International Airport, she said, “The Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) has submitted its recommendations to the parliament and the matters like restoration of Nato supplies and new rules of engagement with the US will be discussed after it’s decision.”

About Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif's recent remarks, Dr Firdous said the term “Ali Baba and Forty Thieves” was ascribed to the Sharifs by the then dictator Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf after he put them behind bars, adding that he had issued a charge-sheet against them in different cases including the money laundering case.

She said Shahbaz Sharif and other thieves submitted a plea bargain to their friend and benefactor Musharraf after confessing to all corruption and fled the country in the darkness of night.

Firdous alleged the corruption of Sharifs was linked to the Mehran Bank Scandal adding that they should look for their faces in the Mehran Bank scandal.

The minister lamented the fact that the chief minister had spent public money on self-projection by distributing free laptops to the students in Punjab and wasted millions of rupees on his media campaign.

On the question of 50 locomotives from the US, she said the demand could be part of the package once the government enters into consultations with the US with due seal of the parliament.

To a query, Dr Firdous said the law and order situation had improved a great deal since last four year in power of the PPP-led government, adding that terrorism had also been checked.

“Could you think of holding a press conference in public, some four years ago, as you stand here today”, she responded.

About the energy crisis, she said the PPP-led government had added 1900 MW to the national grid despite the fact it had inherited crises from the previous regimes, asserting that the provincial governments were equally responsible to produce electricity after the 18th amendment.

Regarding contempt of court case against the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, she said the prime minister is a citizen of Pakistan and every citizen has the right to a fair trial, adding that one does not come across any such precedence where a person shows no-confidence in the bench and the bench is not-reconstituted.

“The matter of immunity to the president can be referred to the parliament by the apex court as was done in the judges’ appointment case,” she responded.

About reshuffling of the cabinet, the minister said change in the cabinet is the prerogative of the prime minister and he could reshuffle people as captain of the team.