Address in NA: Shehbaz lambasts PM on NRO claims

Zardari offer govt ‘truce in national interest’

ISLAMABAD: “Curse be on [those seeking] NRO [deal],” said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday while refuting the government allegations that he was eyeing a deal to win freedom from the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Shehbaz challenged that if Prime Minister Imran Khan proved that he had sought a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), he would quit politics “otherwise the Leader of the House will have to tender an apology”.

The opposition leader in the National Assembly alleged that the PM had misstated facts in his statement. He urged the PM to reveal the occasion and present a witness to prove the credibility of his statement.

He said never before in the history of the country had a government lost its credibility in the eyes of the nation so soon after assuming power.

Commenting on the PM’s ‘tall’ claims, he said he was at loss to understand how the government would build five million houses.

Referring to the cases against PML-N leaders, the opposition leader said that “the unholy alliance between NAB and the PTI is known to everybody”. He said there were NAB cases against several PTI leaders, including the PM himself, but notices were only issued to the PML-N leaders. He questioned the NAB role regarding the Billion Tree Tsunami project and Peshawar’s Bus Rapid Transit project.

The PML-N president also criticised the government decision to increase electricity and gas prices. He said the opposition would not let PTI government burden the masses, and stand as a ‘constitutional wall’ in the front of the government.



He cautioned the government to tread with care on the path to seek support from the friendly countries to address the prevailing economic crisis. He said Saudi Arabia had not only provided the package to the government but to the people of Pakistan as well.

“Saudi Arabia, Iran and China are Pakistan’s time-tested friends,” he said in an emotional tone.

And in what appears to be a surprise offer in the prevailing political atmosphere, former president Asif Ali Zardari has extended an offer for truce to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.

Speaking on the floor after a long time, Zardari said the PPP was ready to work with the PTI government in the interest of the people just as it was ready to work with the Nawaz Sharif government. He said everyone should sit together and prepare a long-term plan for the next 20 to 25 years to avert the economic crisis.



He said Pakistan would ultimately succeed if the PTI government was able to deliver.

The former president urged the opposition leader to forget the past and work together for the development of the country.

He said there were questions about the fairness of elections in other countries as well but “democracy is the only solution”.

Welcoming the PPP co-chairman’s offer, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood said that a Zardari-like mindset was required to take the country towards development.