Stop me if you can, I am going to be in PAC: Sheikh Rashid

Railways minister claims Saudi investment will astonish people

LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid has said he has requested to be made a member of parliament’s top accountability panel, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), in order to keep a check on the body headed by the National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif.

“I have requested a seat on the PAC. Legally and constitutionally, no one can bar me from becoming a PAC member,” Rashid said while talking to media in Punjab’s provincial capital. “Stop me if you can, I am going to the PAC,” he added.

Rashid said appointing Shehbaz – who is facing a graft investigation – as the PAC chairperson is political dishonesty. “It was a bad call [by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government]. However, I stand by Prime Minister Imran Khan if he took this decision to save the assembly,” he added.

He said Shehbaz Sharif himself said he would not look into audits of cases from the term of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) government.  Shehbaz is the PML-N president.

“Shehbaz Sharif can conduct audits of other matters, I will conduct audits of his matters and will hold the PML-N accountable in parliament. How can this happen that those wanted to NAB [National Accountability Bureau] ask NAB to appear before them,” he added.

He reiterated that the PML-N leadership is seeking a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) type deal.  “I have seen and heard only one person asking for an NRO and his name is Shehbaz Sharif. But no matter how hard they try, no one will get an NRO,” he added.

He said when Saudi Arabia rulers come to Pakistan everyone will know about the new investments. “I foresee much investment from Saudi Arabia and people will be astonished. I am also foreseeing a visit by the US President (Donald Trump) to Pakistan,” he claimed.

Rashid also used the occasion to give a few tips to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and said if Bilawal wants to be a politician, he should try to become the next Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and not the next Asif Ali Zardari.

“The PPP senior leadership must stand by Bilawal. They must think what has been done to the country. Aitzaz Ahsan, Latif Khosa and Maula Bakhsh Chandio must support Bilawal. If Bilawal wants to govern, he must become a Bhutto,” he added.