Govt vows no reprieve for former premier Nawaz

Cabinet reaffirms all steps will be taken to bring back PML-N supremo

ISLAMABAD:

The federal cabinet reiterated on Tuesday that all steps would be taken to bring former prime minister Nawaz Sharif back to the country and resolved that the government would not give any relaxation in the application of law in this regard.

While upholding the principle of equality in the eyes of the law, Prime Minister Imran Khan and the ministers expressed that the government would neither give any NRO to the PML-N or other opposition parties, nor would it be blackmailed on the subject.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan and the members of the cabinet affirm that the government will not be blackmailed regarding [an] NRO,” read a handout released after the cabinet meeting, while referring to the amnesty given by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf through the National Reconciliation Ordinance.

Several photos of “ailing” Nawaz went viral on the social media since he left for London in November 2019. However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government is sceptical about the “serious nature” of his condition.

Reports of Nawaz Sharif contacting Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Jamit Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and discussing with them the political situation in the country pushed the government to up its ante.

“Let me make clear: No matter what happens, my govt will not allow any NRO as it would be betrayal of the nation’s trust in us to hold the plunderers of public wealth accountable,” Prime Minister Imran Khan later tweeted. He said that Musharraf gave “NROs to the political leaders which quadrupled our debt & destroyed economy”, adding: “There will be no more NROs.”

In the cabinet meeting, the prime minister said that the government debt increased manifolds and the country was pushed to the swamp of debt because of the NROs given in the past. The cabinet noted that the PML-N supremo “misused” the relief provided to him on the humanitarian grounds.

It further noted that the former prime minister filed bail application on the pretext of deteriorating health in the Al-Azizia case on October 29, 2019, and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif gave an assurance for his return before the court in the matter.

Subsequently, the cabinet was told, the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed for removal of Nawaz Sharif’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL) and allowed him to go abroad for four weeks on November 16, last year.

The cabinet observed that both – Sharif and Shehbaz – gave personal surety bond, assuring that he would return, regularly submit medical reports and raise no objection to government representative checking the reports.

The cabinet was informed that the former prime minister filed an application for extension in bail on December 23, 2019; a medical board was subsequently constituted, which provided three opportunities of personal hearing on February 19, 20, 21, 2020, but Nawaz neither appeared nor submitted any medical report.

Resultantly, the cabinet heard, Sharif’s application for bail extension in was rejected by the Punjab government on February 27, 2020. The cabinet was also informed that Nawaz’s counsel had filed a bail petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and a written order on it was awaited.

The cabinet heard that the British government had been informed about the LHC decision and the conditions in it. In addition, the British government had been informed about the Punjab government’s decision on March 2. However, it noted that several countries had extended visit visas because of the outbreak of Covid-19, and Nawaz’s stay was also extended in this respect.

Roosevelt Hotel, ML-1

Meanwhile, the cabinet approved the decisions taken in the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet on August 12, including its go-ahead to the payment of all liabilities associated with the debt of $105 million secured by the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)-owned Roosevelt Hotel in New York.

The federal cabinet was informed that the liabilities of the hotel had reached to $125 million and the instant decisions were being taken to make the entity stable and stop the continuous losses.

Separately, the cabinet approved the decision of the cabinet committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor taken in its meeting on August 13. The cabinet lauded Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s efforts for the progress in the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project.

Sugar, wheat and rain

The cabinet was informed that a ship, carrying 60,000 tonnes of wheat, would arrive at the Karachi port on August 26 (today) and another ship, carrying the same quantity, would arrive on August 28. In September, the cabinet heard, 500,000 tonnes of wheat would be available in Pakistan.

While expressing satisfaction over the decreasing wheat and sugar prices, the prime minister directed for making short- mid- and long-term policies for food security.

Also, the cabinet decided to put 61 food and non-food items in the Compulsory Certification Mark Scheme of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).

Meanwhile, the cabinet expressed grave concerns over the difficulties faced by the people in Sindh, especially in Karachi, due to the rain.