Blame game within party must stop: Shehbaz Sharif

Says NAB should solve established corruption cases and disclose them before the public

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif  has urged all the ruling party members, including the former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, not to violate the party’s discipline by engaging in a blame game.

“As president of the party, I am telling everyone including Nisar not to violate the party discipline and to stop all the blame game so that the party can proceed towards elections with complete unity,” Shehbaz said on Wednesday.

He was responding to a question regarding his Monday meeting with Nisar, in which he had urged the founding member of the ruling party to express his concerns in the party meetings.

Nisar has lately been voicing his concerns regarding several party affairs in press conferences and has warned he will part ways with the PML-N if he is treated like a housemaid. Reportedly, the former interior minister also conveyed his concerns during the one-on-one meeting with Shehbaz.



To another question about the Bajwa Doctrine, Shehbaz said the army chief Qamar Javaid Bajwa is a thorough professional and his services for the country should be fully lauded, adding that “we jointly have to strengthen the national defence”.

“The immortal sacrifices rendered by the armed forces of Pakistan for defence of the country and elimination of terrorism and fanaticism should be appreciated from the core of the hearts. These priceless sacrifices will not be wasted,” he added.

The PML-N president, who is also facing an inquiry in connection with alleged graft in a housing scheme, appreciated the pro-active role of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which, he said, is responsible to investigate every corruption and identify the dishonest.

“Accountability of the dishonest should be across the board. All should be held accountable. But this accountability should be indiscriminate and not with the aim to victimise some or for political vendetta.



“The way NAB has been activated, it is prayed that this should be made a blessing for the country and billions of rupees of looted money is recovered from the corrupt people,” he said.

The CM said the Orange Line Metro Train project was delayed by 22 months due to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) allegation of corruption.

“The PTI failed to prove anything. If there was any corruption, the PTI should have given proof in the court. Now any wrangling about corruption is, in fact, an attempt to misguide the nation,” he added.

He said much was speculated about his recent London visit. “But the reality is that I had gone to the UK for no reason but my medical checkup,” he added.