Ministers hit out at PML-N on ‘pressuring tactics’

Say its motive is to make institutions controversial for relief in cases

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:

The federal ministers on Saturday criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and its supremo Nawaz Sharif over the alleged leaked audiotape of former chief justice Saqib Nisar, saying that underlying motive of the PML-N to make the institutions controversial was geared to obtain relief in cases against them.

A controversy is brewing over the alleged leak of an audio clip of a conversation purportedly involving Justice (retd) Saqib Nisar, regarding interference in Maryam Nawaz and Sharif’s corruption trials in 2018.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz were separately talking to private news channels, while Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar took to Twitter to bash the PML-N and Sharif “for trying to damage the national institutions”.

Fawad said that the PML-N generated conspiracy to hit national institutions whenever cases against them were opened.

He said that during their many years of rule, they (PML-N) promoted nepotism to further their vested interests. “Their story started from the affidavit of former Gilgit-Baltistan chief justice Rana Shamim and concluded at an alleged audio recording of former chief justice Nisar.”

The federal minister said it was very obvious that the Sharif family was resorting to such tactics as they had to present the money trail about the purchase of their properties.
However, he said that the higher judiciary should take notice and take action accordingly.

Taking to Twitter, Umar said the PML-N supremo is ready to deploy every tactic available to pressurise institutions no matter how much it costs the country.

The minister said that Sharif wanted a judiciary that decided cases through instructions over the phone, adding that the three-time premier was dismayed with the judiciary and the army for not helping him through unconstitutional means.

He said that the PML-N and supporters’ worry is clear ever since the opposition’s defeat in the joint session of parliament in which the government succeeded in getting passed a record number of 33 bills.
The intensity and distress in their attacks on the judiciary and the military leadership had increased since then, he added.

Meanwhile, Shibli said the PML-N had a bad history and shameful attitude towards the judiciary and the party had always tried to damage national institutions.

He said PML-N had a record to use its power for getting desirous decisions from national institutions.
He said the opposition was criticising the incumbent government just for political point scoring, adding that they were making hue and cry about the electronic voting machine (EVM) even before its usage.

The minister said the government wanted to make the electoral system transparent so that no one could raise a finger at the credibility of elections. “Modern technology can play an important role in making the electoral process fair and transparent,” he added.