ISLAMABAD:
The government representatives on Sunday lashed out at the PDM, saying it was trying to “blackmail” the premier for seeking a relief in their corruption cases through arranging public meetings and termed their leaders “hereditary characters” with an “undemocratic attitude”.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz maintained that the opposition will have to answer for their deeds as there was zero chance of brokering an NRO-like deal as was given by the past military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf to the PPP.
“No matter how much you shout or jump, Imran Khan will not be blackmailed. Maryam Safdar, no matter how much you exhibit obedience to Bilawal Bhutto, you will not get the resignations from Pakistan People’s Party,” he said in a video statement.
Shibli recalled that the ruling party had invited the opposition to hold dialogue for the resolution of public issues but regretted that the parties of the PDM were not interested in talks with PTI-led government.
“We did not have personal enmity with any party,” he said.
آج ذوالفقار علی بھٹو اور بی بی شہید کی روح کوتکلیف پہنچ رہی ہوگی کہ ان کے فلسفے اور نظریات کے بد ترین مخالف آج ان کے گھر براجمان ہیں انکاایجنڈا اپنی ذات سے شروع ہوکر اپنی ذات پر ختم ہو جاتا ہے۔ان کے پاس عوام کے لیے کچھ نہیں۔
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) December 27, 2020
The minister was responding to the leaders of the PDM who had gathered in Larkana on the occasion of former premier Benazir Bhutto's 13th death anniversary for another power show as part of their anti-government protests.
The 11-party opposition alliance had launched a campaign to dis-lodge the PTI-led government and announced en masse resignations from assemblies and a long march on Islamabad early next year.
Shibli said the use of “foul” language against institutions in PDM meetings had proved that the opposition could go to any extent for “grabbing power”.
He regretted the participation of PML-N vice president in the Larkana rally saying that both Maryam and Bilawal had “changed” their political affiliations to “protect their personal interests”.
“We all know what language former premier Nawaz Sharif and his party used in the past against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. Nawaz Sharif and his party had hatched conspiracies against the leadership of PPP and even became facilitator in the execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto,” he said.
“It is a shame for Bilawal and Maryam that they have changed their political affiliations to protect their personal interests,” he added.
“Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto would be restless in their last resting places as to where their descendants have brought the national level party (PPP).”
مریم نواز کا لاڑکانہ جانا "اوپر سے لڑائی اندر سے بہن بھائی" کی تاریخی حقیقت کا منہ بولتا ثبوت ہے۔ لاہور اور لاڑکانہ کی سڑکوں پر ایک دوسرے کو گھسیٹنے کے اعلان کرنے والے ایک دوسرے کے گھروں کے مہمان بن گئے۔ یہ ان کی اصلیت ہے۔ یہ عوام کے سامنے کچھ اور پیچھے کچھ اور ہیں۔
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) December 27, 2020
He said an ideological party like the PPP had turned into a “corrupt” party.
Taking a dig at Maryam, Shibli said she was the same woman, who used to say that she had no property in London or even in Pakistan.
“The same lady was the inventor of the Calibri font and presented a letter of Qatri prince in her defence.”
Despite her father remained the prime minister of country thrice, the questions of the court and people as to how they had amassed assets were not yet answered, he said.
The federal minister alleged that the opposition used power for expanding their business by “violating” rights of the people and “destroying” the national institutions.
“There is no shame in them. These are the thieves who believe that offence is the best defence.”
ملک میں جب بھی کرپشن، دو نمبری، ہارس ٹریڈنگ،چھانگا مانگا، چمک اور بریف کیس کا نام آئے گا تو نواز شریف کا نام آئے گا۔ عمران خان عوام کا تابعدار اور چوروں لٹیروں کیلئے تھانے دار ہے۔
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) December 27, 2020
He observed that the opposition had launched a campaign against an elected and democratic government and expressed the resolve that PM Imran would lead the country to prosperity.
Referring to the opposition parties, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said the “hereditary characters” in the political parties with an “undemocratic attitude” had launched a campaign against the government.
“It is very unfortunate that in Pakistan hereditary characters are in politics in the lust of power,” he said while addressing a news conference in Lahore.
He mentioned that since the takeover of the party by Zardari, “the PPP is led by those who have confined it only to interior Sindh”.
In the similar vein, the minister said: “Maryam Nawaz has never managed her kitchen but she just enjoys the empire of her father, which is established after looting public money”.
“Is the post of premiership an internship which can be given to children?” he asked.
In a trenchant criticism against JUI-F chief and PDM president Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, he added that there was a rift in the party because of “undemocratic attitude” of its emir.
The minister told reporters that the country faced inflation due to poor economic policies of the previous governments.
Yet in the last two years, he added the Centre transferred Rs1,600 billion to Sindh.
“Bilawal Bhutto Zaradri should hold a long march against [Sindh Chief Minister] Murad Ali Shah and must ask him where he spent Rs1,600 billion. “There were numerous problems which the people of Karachi are facing,” he added.
Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi maintained that the “defeatist” mentality had unleashed a hybrid war to create uncertainty, chaos and confusion in the country.
“For the purpose, divergent forces have been brought together under the platform of PDM,” he said while addressing a news conference in Faisalabad.
He said Pakistan was striking a strategic balance in the region and making substantial development on the economic front and that anti-Pakistan forces were using the religious and political clout to fulfill their nefarious designs.
“Allies of Fazl utilised their cronies during their tenure to recognise Israel and, in this connection, a delegation was also sent to Israel,” he said.
“Maulana, instead of exposing them, is criticising the PTI government,” he added.
Ashrafi said the government would never think of establishing a relationship with Israel until a permanent solution to Palestine issue was realised.
He said Palestinian President Mehmood Abbas, in his letter, had thanked people and the government of Pakistan for taking a bold and courageous stance on the issue of Palestine.
Ashrafi noted that Fazl's decision to expel some senior JUI-F members from the party exposed his “undemocratic” behaviour.
Their only fault was to ask their leader for returning to the right path, he added.
He called the PDM an alliance of “anti-Pakistan forces” saying some of its parties had hatched conspiracies against national institutions.
He warned that if any party or alliance tried to launch long march or sit-in, the people of Pakistan would foil their designs.
With input from APP
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