Opposition wishes to halt accountability process: Punjab governor

Punjab governor says opposition does not want Pakistan to progress, prosper

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said opposition parties wanted to halt the process of accountability and the country’s economic progress.

Speaking to delegations from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at Governor’s House on Sunday, Sarwar stated that the opposition should wait till 2023‘s general elections instead of staging protests and sit-ins. “The people of the country have given a mandate to PTI to serve for five years,” he said.

He questioned as to why the leadership of the opposition parties had not held any march to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir and against Indian atrocities in the valley. “The opposition should take to the streets to raise their voice for the innocent people of Kashmir and expose Indian atrocities in the valley,” he said.

The governor maintained that the opposition does not wish to see the country progress and prosper. Therefore, they were staging protests and sit-ins. “They [opposition] should refrain from damaging national unity and solidarity,” he said.

Any attempt to derail the government through protests would fail, he emphasised. “The PTI government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, will complete its constitutional term. The next general elections will be held on time,” he added.

He indicated that the opposition parties were divided and were trying to cook up a ‘conspiracy’ to divide the people. However, they will fail as the country has already rejected them in the general elections. He reiterated that after coming into power, his party had not registered any case against the opposition neither had politically victimised anyone.

“The opposition was rejected by 220 million people in the general elections. They still do not have the support of the nation,” the governor said.

“It is the opposition’s right to stage a peaceful protest. However, this is not the right time.” India has crossed all limits in Kashmir and has turned the valley into a prison. “At this time, no march or protest is in the country’s favour,” he said.

He claimed that even the worst critics of the government were rejecting the opposition’s agenda because it was time to show solidarity with Kashmiri brethren and stand against India. However, if anybody would try to take the law into their hands, the government would fulfil its responsibilities by taking action against those who create unrest and instability under the guise of protests, in order to protect peoples' lives and property, he warned.

Sarwar said the PTI government had to face a number of challenges when it came into power, but comprehensive policies had stabilised the country’s economic situation and saved it from a possible default.

“Because of the effective and efficient economic policies of the government, the trade deficit has been decreased to 35%, whereas the wealth reserves have also been stable.” He highlighted that the government was making an effort to strengthen the parliament and other national institutions. It was among top priorities of the government to ensure justice for the people.

“The federal and the provincial governments were striving hard to overcome poverty, inflation and other challenges for raising the living standards of the people,” he said.

The PTI delegation comprised of Provincial Parliamentary Secretary Livestock Shehbaz Ahmad, MPA Abida Raja and PTI member Bilal Cheema.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2019.