Ghani decries treatment of Zardari in jail

Levels allegations of violation of rules, regulations

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information, Archives and Labour Saeed Ghani has said that former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari had been shifted to prison even when he was unwell. Ghani said that MPA Faryal Talpur was treated in a similar 'indecent' manner when she was shifted to prison from the hospital on the eve of Eidul Azha. He added that the production order issued by the Sindh Assembly was also denied. "This was clear violation of rules and regulations," he said in a statement issued on Monday.

Ghani said that to date, no allegations against Zardari or Talpur had been proven. Slamming the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), he said that it should be labelled as the Nazi regime instead of the Niazi regime. Ghani lamented that it was deplorable that Zardari's daughter was not allowed to see her father in prison even when relatives of dangerous inmates had access to them. He said that the Pakistan Prisoners Code was not being followed in letter and spirit in the case of Zardari.

According to the PPP minister, the court's orders were also being flouted in Zardari's case. He said that the court had allowed Zardari to avail the facilities he needed at his own expense and added that even dictators in this country did not treat women ruthlessly. He censured the way the trial of the case was being conducted in the province where the reference had not even been filed. "If this is to be made the norm, then cases of all the accused persons from Punjab and KP should be heard in Sindh," remarked Ghani. According to Ghani, even the trial of Dr Asim and former Pakistan Steel chairperson were not fair. "They were forced to give desired statements," alleged the PPP minister. "Why are the leaders of PTI, including Pervez Khattak, Khusro Bakhtiyar, Memood Khan and Asad Qaiser not being arrested?" he asked.

He regretted that former Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah who had never been questioned by any of the country's accountability institutions was being asked to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) time and again. "Only today, notices and allegations are being made the basis of arrests," said Ghani, adding that efforts were being made to trap another PPP leader, Syed Khursheed Shah, in a false and fabricated reference. "A politician elected on one party's ticket could not join another political party," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2019.