NRO claims: PML-N leaders continue tirade against govt

Sanaullah, Ismail say PTI incapable of handling economic affairs

LAHORE: All opposition parties are involved in consultations to devise a joint strategy against the “incapable and ineligible” Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, a leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) says.

Addressing the media in Faisalabad on Sunday, former minister Rana Sanaullah said, “There are fears that before we come up with a strategy the people of Pakistan will themselves bring down the government after the mini-budget is announced due to the deteriorating economic situation.”

He said, “The mini-budget in which the government plans to impose new taxes of Rs150 billion will boost inflation and joblessness and make the life of common people even more difficult.”

He said the government was incapable of addressing the economic issues of the country. He said the economic situation was so adverse that traders had to meet the army chief to express their concerns instead of the government, adding that the government instead of building cases against the opposition parties should try and fix the national economy.

He also suggested that Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid should resign before going to the courts against his government’s decision of making PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

Explaining his views, Sanaullah said, “It is the decision of the government and how can he, being a part of the government, criticise it.”

He accused Rashid of becoming a billionaire through gambling and extortion, saying he was penniless before entering politics.

Sanaullah also asked the government to disclose the names of those demanding a deal like the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) from the government.

He said Shehbaz had stated on the floor of the National Assembly that they did not need any NRO, while on the other hand former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was in jail fighting his legal battle, which was why the government should clarify its position on this allegation.

He also called NAB’s accountability process biased, saying in reality it was victimisation in the name of accountability.

“Why didn’t NAB arrest Pervaiz Khattak and Pervaiz Elahi during investigation like in the case of Shehbaz? Why give them the privilege of being in the government?” he asked.

He said representatives of his party would meet the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman to convey their concerns.

Talking to the media in Lahore, another PML-N leader, Miftah Ismail, also urged the government to disclose the names of those seeking an NRO.

Ismail said, “PTI leader Murad Saeed has also claimed in the past that opposition members are seeking an NRO. These claims were nothing but madness.”

He said former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had pointed out on Saturday that the government did not have the authority to give anyone a relief like the NRO. He said former president Pervez Musharraf gave an NRO as a dictator whereas the incumbent government had no power to do so.

The PML-N leader demanded that the authorities dispel the impression that accountability was only for opposition parties.

He said he was summoned by NAB on Friday and in a very good environment was asked questions regarding a case. He was then given a questionnaire with very reasonable time to reply, he added.

Ismail also crticised the government’s  economic policies, saying what kind of a government was this that could not even decide in five months whether it wanted go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or not.

“This government has promised 10 million jobs in its stint, which means two million jobs a year,” he said, asking if it had given one million jobs in the past half year as promised.

“The economic situation is only exacerbating due to the incapability of the government,” he added.