Arrests of party bigwigs draw mixed reaction
Govt asserts there will be no leniency in ensuring accountability
Activists of the PML-N take to the streets in protest against the arrest of Hamza Shehbaz. PHOTO: PPI
LAHORE:
Political forces have expressed mixed reactions over the arrests of political bigwigs immediately after Eidul Fitr holidays.
Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Local Government Raja Basharat says the arrest of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz is a consequence of his under-trial corruption cases.
Expressing his reaction over arrests of PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz and Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Basharat said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is determined to eradicate corruption by supporting impartial and non-discriminatory accountability across the country. “The government is taking concrete measures to make big guns accountable for the first time in the history of Pakistan,” he maintained.
Basharat appealed to the lawyers’ community to support the government in its move against corruption, help strengthen the judiciary and the Constitution of Pakistan. He lauded the traditional struggle of lawyers against the upheaval of judiciary and the constitution. He expressed hope that the lawyers of Pakistan would continue their support for the present government and make a new Pakistan – one which is corruption-free.
PPP central leader Chaudhry Manzoor, on the other hand, highlighted that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said if inflation is reined in and the price of oil and the dollar drop, there is no harm in arresting more people. He said the present government has arrested political leaders to suppress their voices and hide its incompetence. “Arrests have been made for the smooth sailing of a citizen-unfriendly budget. However, the ruling party will fail in this objective.”
Highlighting PPP’s future strategy, the party leader said steering committees are being firmed to launch public contact campaigns across Pakistan. “We will also contact other political parties for an effective campaign against this high-handedness,” he said.
PTI senior central leader Ejaz Chaudhry said the government is facing huge challenges which have been left behind by previous regimes. He emphasises that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, it is committed to dealing with these obstacles. He underlined that the government is facing no other crisis apart from corruption. He warned corrupt elements that the government would not step back from its original stance of accountability for all. “There is no chance of compromise this time as the government is committed to eradicating corruption from the country. Some of the corrupt people are still trying to create hurdles in the way of ongoing accountability, but all their nefarious schemes will fail.
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JIP) Deputy Chief Liaqat Baloch said that arrests of political bigwigs are part of the judicial process. “However, the government should restrain from the policy of likes and dislikes in regard to accountability.” He said the 436 persons named in the Panama leaks and those getting their huge bank loans written off were not being touched. He pointed out there were yet others who had mega corruption pending with NAB.
He said the JIP’s principled stance was that there should be no discrimination and across-the-board accountability should be carried out so that elements involved could be eliminated from the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2019.
Political forces have expressed mixed reactions over the arrests of political bigwigs immediately after Eidul Fitr holidays.
Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Local Government Raja Basharat says the arrest of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz is a consequence of his under-trial corruption cases.
Expressing his reaction over arrests of PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz and Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Basharat said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is determined to eradicate corruption by supporting impartial and non-discriminatory accountability across the country. “The government is taking concrete measures to make big guns accountable for the first time in the history of Pakistan,” he maintained.
Basharat appealed to the lawyers’ community to support the government in its move against corruption, help strengthen the judiciary and the Constitution of Pakistan. He lauded the traditional struggle of lawyers against the upheaval of judiciary and the constitution. He expressed hope that the lawyers of Pakistan would continue their support for the present government and make a new Pakistan – one which is corruption-free.
PPP central leader Chaudhry Manzoor, on the other hand, highlighted that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said if inflation is reined in and the price of oil and the dollar drop, there is no harm in arresting more people. He said the present government has arrested political leaders to suppress their voices and hide its incompetence. “Arrests have been made for the smooth sailing of a citizen-unfriendly budget. However, the ruling party will fail in this objective.”
Highlighting PPP’s future strategy, the party leader said steering committees are being firmed to launch public contact campaigns across Pakistan. “We will also contact other political parties for an effective campaign against this high-handedness,” he said.
PTI senior central leader Ejaz Chaudhry said the government is facing huge challenges which have been left behind by previous regimes. He emphasises that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, it is committed to dealing with these obstacles. He underlined that the government is facing no other crisis apart from corruption. He warned corrupt elements that the government would not step back from its original stance of accountability for all. “There is no chance of compromise this time as the government is committed to eradicating corruption from the country. Some of the corrupt people are still trying to create hurdles in the way of ongoing accountability, but all their nefarious schemes will fail.
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JIP) Deputy Chief Liaqat Baloch said that arrests of political bigwigs are part of the judicial process. “However, the government should restrain from the policy of likes and dislikes in regard to accountability.” He said the 436 persons named in the Panama leaks and those getting their huge bank loans written off were not being touched. He pointed out there were yet others who had mega corruption pending with NAB.
He said the JIP’s principled stance was that there should be no discrimination and across-the-board accountability should be carried out so that elements involved could be eliminated from the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2019.