Opposition unites to take fight to Sharifs

Separate resolutions submitted in PA, parties vow to defend JIT, SC

LAHORE: Opposition members reiterated their demanded for the resignations of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif through separate resolutions submitted in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday.

The resolutions came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report which concluded references should be submitted against PM Nawaz’s children. A third resolution paid tribute to JIT members, who, according to opposition MPAs, did not wilt to political pressure despite the threats of ministers.



Opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Muhammad Shoaib Siddiqi of PTI stated Shehbaz Sharif, being a director of Hudabia Paper Mills, was responsible of taking funds from Pakistan to London for money laundering.  He demanded the PM and CM’s immediate resignations.

PTI legislator Muhammad Shoaib Siddiqi said in his resolution that the JIT had found the PM guilty of corruption and telling lies. He claimed the report had established that Nawaz was no longer fit to hold the office of prime minister.

Shoaib asserted that the family of the prime minister had abused the votes of the masses which helped them take the reins of the country’s affairs.

Meanwhile, another resolution was submitted by the opposition leader. He paid tribute to JIT members, who, he said, had probed the matter sincerely and honestly and without wilting to threats or political pressure.

He stated that the role of the JIT restored the integrity of the country’s institutions. Mehmood hoped all state institutions would play their vital role in weeding out corruption, tax evasion and other such elements from the country.

United front

After submission of the final report by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), all opposition parties have presented a united front in demanding the resignations of the Sharif brothers and Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar. They claimed the evidence against the “ruling family” was nothing short of overwhelming.

PTI MPA and Punjab Opposition Leader Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed told The Express Tribune that his party’s senior leadership tasked various members with increasing cooperation to achieve their common goal.

He stated Jehangir Tareen, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and he would team up with Pakistan Awami Tahreek (PAT), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) and Sunni Tehreek to counter the expected agitation of the ruling party.

PTI, Rasheed said, had also decided to increase pressure on the ruling party by submitting resolutions in the national and provincial assemblies as well as the Senate.

“PTI has already submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday and will do the same in the National Assembly and Senate on Wednesday (today),” he added.

“Opposition parties are awaiting the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on the final report of the Panama JIT. If the ruling party dares to attack the apex court, as it has done in the past, we will be there to defend it.’



He stated that his allies and the people of Pakistan were standing with the SC and corrupt rulers would not be allowed to escape.

Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Central Vice President Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo underlined that the Sharif brothers were left with no option but to resign from office and return the billions of rupees worth of properties obtained from looted money.

He underscored that the rulers had been caught red handed and citizens were being denied their basic rights, while the wealth of the Sharif family was multiplying.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2017.