‘Anti-govt movement won’t die down’: Politicians condemn Shehbaz’s arrest

PPP chairman Bilawal calls for end to use of NAB as a tool for political victimisation

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday strongly condemned the arrest of Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, adding that the Imran Khan regime was frightened by the opposition's alliance and had resorted to highhandedness against political opponents.

Bilawal, in a statement, said that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) notices and arrests of opposition leaders showed that the regime was scared of the opposition’s unity. He demanded immediate release of Shahbaz Sharif and an end to the use of NAB as a tool for political victimisation.

The statement comes hours after the PML-N president was arrested from the Lahore High Court premises after a two-judge bench rejected his interim bail plea in an asset beyond means and money laundering case.

The PPP chairman said that a runaway dictator is facing heinous and serious charges but neither any notice issued against nor was he arrested. “Serious allegations are also levelled against Imran Khan’s sister and his special assistants but they were never summoned,” he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari made it clear that the current regime cannot impede people’s resistance by targeting the opposition leaders and challenged it to stop the PDM (Peoples Democratic Movement).

PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that NAB has failed to prove corruption charges against Shehbaz Sharif despite the passage of two years, adding that he was arrested on "unknown plea".

She said that Shehbaz was arrested when the local bodies and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) elections were around the corner.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, on the other hand, said that the process of accountability will continue until the money of the people is not returned.

He said that strict action should be taken against opposition leaders involved in money laundering. "They committed corruption on one hand and also sent money abroad on the other. This is a double crime," he maintained.

Fawad said that Shehbaz Sharif's arrest was a message to those people who were sending money abroad.

Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan suggested that Shehbaz Sharif's bail was rejected after evidence of his corruption was found.

"Accountability institutions and courts, after years of hard work, have gathered evidence against Shehbaz," he added.

Chohan also rejected allegations that the government was using NAB as a tool to seek "revenge" against the opposition parties.